The Hearts We Break
by Bipolar Tangerine
Summary: Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama: something unknown to those who haven't protected it :Kagome is starting to lose hope. More Inside
1. Prologue

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
July 4th, 2006

**This is the sequel to "The Games We Play". I advise you in reading that before you read this… I say that simply because I'm not sure how well I'll recap it. If you don't want to read it, then prepare to handle any confusion that I may bring upon you.**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**_Prologue_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

It was the kind of thing you saw in movies. Sometimes, you even saw it in books. Life would be all happy and there would be no more problems because the person deserved it. If fate went off of what people deserved, things would be much easier to predict. But that's not what fate does. Fate throws you wild cards you can't use and kicks you when you're down or starting to get up.

Fate plays games of hate and trickery to you and you can't fight it.

She knew the drill from what happened in the movies and books. Someone would die and the police would come to your house. You wouldn't know that, though. Someone would knock on your door and you would look towards it. Often times, you were making some kind of meal or planning for some special event.

She walked to the door, oblivious to the pain that awaited her on the other side. She opened the door to see two police officers. She recognized them; they worked in Ophielia's department.

Ever since the incident with Naraku and Andrew, Ophielia became family. She was welcomed into the family. Everyone loved her and she loved everyone. After a few months of dating, she and Souta decided they would get married. They both wanted a family, but they would wait at least a year before they got married. They remained engaged for a few months.

The officers both took off their hats. That was never a good sign. When they took off their caps, it usually meant they had bad news. She never even noticed that they wore hats before that day.

"Kagome..." The first one trailed off. He couldn't say something. Kagome slowly stepped forward to urge them on. She knew that she would hate the news they had to give her. The difficulty of telling her was written all over their faces. Slowly but surely, the ex-trainee spoke up.

"Souta and Ophielia... They're dead." He slowly said. Kagome's eyes widened and her heart stopped. They were her family, her brother that she loved dearly and her future sister-in-law. Two of the most important people left in her life were gone. She fell on her knees and began sobbing.

-

The funeral was horrible. She couldn't stop crying. No one could. The two had been so happy together and seemed so... carefree. Then their lives were taken before they were supposed to go. Kagome couldn't handle it. Her brother and her sister- what she often called Ophielia -were gone.

No, they weren't gone. This was a nightmare. They were playing a joke on her. Souta got upset and decided he would fake death to see if anyone really missed him. Maybe it wasn't Souta and Ophielia who were dead. Perhaps it was just two people who closely resembled them. Yeah, that was it. It was a mix-up. That's all it was.

Kagome went with Sesshoumaru as they walked up to see the coffins. There was her brother and her sister. Lying dead. Their faces were pale and she didn't need to touch them to know they were cold. Their bodies would never radiate heat again. Ophielia would never have the chance to quit the department, which was a dream of hers since they got engaged...

Kagome couldn't take it. Her legs collapsed from under her and she began crying. Sesshoumaru knelt down next to her and tried to console her. The Prince of Ice was shedding tears for the loss. Was it for the loss or for the pain that was filling her heart? She wasn't quite sure.

Kagome buried her head within the folds of Sesshoumaru's shirt. She couldn't handle it. She wasn't able to comprehend it. Her brother and sister. They weren't gone. They weren't. They _couldn't_ be gone! They had so much life left in front of them and so many dreams to chase after! They weren't allowed to die with so much in front of them!

Sesshoumaru had to carry Kagome back to their seats. He cradled her all throughout the service. They opened up the floor for people to tell stories about them. The trainee that Ophielia once hated spoke good things of her.

"She was a good woman." He said. The words broke Kagome's heart. _Was_. Dead people were always spoken about in past tense. It was never _She is a good woman_, but _She **was** a good woman_.

Kagome refused to let that change. Her brother and his soon-to-be wife were alive. They were still good people. They were still enjoying life and having fun at home. They were still talking about things they wanted to do together and places they wanted to see. They still talked of traveling around the world and meeting different people.

They weren't dead. No. This wasn't happening. They couldn't be dead.

-

Kagome was huddled in her bed, clinging onto Sesshoumaru for dear life. The two cops that informed her of the deaths were before her. The trainee seemed bolder than the other officer. Ophielia trained him well.

"We finished the investigation." He said carefully. Kagome's tears began to form once again. It was months after things had happened, and she still couldn't cope. She just wanted the pain to end.

"Souta had been injected with a poison. We traced it to a doctor's office. A fake doctor with a fake license injected it into him when he went in for a bit of help... We talked to the person who did it, and he said that he was trying to... make you want to commit suicide, Kagome..."

"A week or so later, Souta died and... As Ophielia was with the body," He wasn't Souta anymore. He was labeled as _the body_, "someone came in and shot her. Three in the heart, one in the head, and one missed... Seems they wanted you and Ophielia dead." He finished.

-

"Kagome..." Sesshoumaru's soft and loving voice pulled her from her sleep. Kagome looked at him and forced a smile. Smiling got harder each time she tried. But she would make herself smile just as long as Sesshoumaru was around.

"Hmm?" Kagome closed her eyes in attempt to sleep. Sesshoumaru rubbed her head. Her eyes suddenly shot open as the sound of gunshots rang through her head. It was five months since they had gone to the funeral. Five months of her missing her brother and sister-in-law terribly. Five months of heavy depression.

"Would you like to... not get married?" Sesshoumaru's voice caught in his throat. Kagome sat up quickly and shook her head.

"What makes you say that?" She asked in a semi-panicked voice. Souta and Ophielia were stripped from her. Was Sesshoumaru going to leave her?

"You're so upset about what happened. I fear that you no longer wish to be married." Sesshoumaru admitted. Kagome was the only one he would tell this to. He wouldn't trust anyone else to keep the information secret.

"I do love you, Sesshoumaru... It's just hard to keep smiling when I think of how I killed them. I can't help but blame myself and think that everything is my fault... I still want to marry you." Kagome murmured. Sesshoumaru hugged her tight and refused to let go. Kagome didn't mind, though. She didn't want him to let go.

_'Please, never let go. When you are here with me, the pain is gone. There's no pain in your embrace...'_

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

I know it's short... Couldn't think of anything else that needed to be mentioned. But, hey, if you review, I'll give you chapter one!

I wasn't going to post this for a while longer, but I can't take it anymore. I miss writing **_The Games We Play_**, so I have to put out the sequel...

Next Chapter: _Nightmares_  
Reviews Needed: **10**

**- Lonely Bird**


	2. Nightmares

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
July 4th, 2006  
July 5th, 2006  
July 7th, 3006

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I was hesitant about making a sequel (I wasn't even going to post it so soon), and all the reviews have made my day. You guys made me happy that I posted it so early!**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter One:_ Nightmares_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

Kagome jerked from her sleep and glanced around her. She was sitting up with a large T-Shirt on her. Tears filled her eyes as she looked around her. Nothing. She wiped at her eyes in attempt to hide the tears. No one… She didn't want anyone to know that she was crying.

She slowly reached to the bedside and flicked on the lamp. The lamp flickered a few times before it went out. She had to get a new light bulb again. It felt like just yesterday she had put this one in. Or did she start to and get distracted? She couldn't remember.

She looked at the clock. '_God, it's only one in the morning…'_ Kagome groaned. She fell back against her bed. She closed her eyes to sleep and took a deep breath. She nearly screamed when her vision was filled with red. She shot up and looked at her computer.

She no longer spoke to her diary. That was something she did two years ago. Now, she wrote her problems in her diary. It wasn't like there was anyone else to tell. Sesshoumaru? No. She loved him dearly, but she wouldn't allow herself to burden him. He had enough problems with becoming a doctor and aiding his father in the business.

Kagome felt more tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She turned the computer on and tried waiting for it to warm up. She looked at the picture in the frame beside the monitor and finally let loose. Tears spilled from her eyes and her body shook with the sobs that she was unable to form.

'_Why did you have to leave me here? Why! Why didn't you tell anyone sooner? Why!'_ She thought. Pain flooded her body. Not physical pain, but mental and emotional pain. He was gone and she could have helped. She didn't know exactly what she could have done, but she could have done **something**!

Kagome stared blankly as the computer turned on. She brought up Internet Explorer and Microsoft Word. She typed in a quick web address on the Internet. It was her alibi. It would have to be a good one, though. What was so important that she was up until 1 in the morning? Or what caused her to get up this early?

Kagome opened up her folder in which her diary was held. Everything was in the same document now. There was no having different documents for different days' entries. She didn't even like admitting to keeping a diary. But she had to. It was the only thing she had left now. It was the only thing she could count on.

_November5th (1:00 am)  
I had another nightmare. I can't take it anymore. Each time I dream of it, it gets worse. I don't know what to do anymore. It feels like yesterday he was here and telling me that there was only one way to get rid of the people who hurt me... It feels like just last week I was visiting him and speaking once more._

_But he's gone. I've finally accepted it and come out of denial... But that took a long time. And now the pain is still there… The pain of not being able to do anything… The pain of knowing that I'll never see him again... I'll never see the family that he wanted so badly to have..._

_The nightmare... We were all at the wedding for them-him and Ophielia. I could hear something going on in the background, but I forced myself not to hear it. I wanted to be there for the wedding. Suddenly the gun went off. Two. No, five gun shots. I tried to run to him, but I couldn't... I was stuck in a tar-like liquid._

_He began to fall into the black pit- into the tar. I pushed my way to get to him, but I was too late. By the time I got there, he had already sunk into the tar. Ophielia went after him. Then, slowly, I began to stop moving and the tar began to swallow me up._

_I should be getting to bed right now. Sesshoumaru is probably going to be coming home soon, and I don't want him knowing that I still keep a log of how things are going. I don't want anyone knowing what's going on inside of me. It was because I let them know that Souta's dead... Even worse, Ophielia had to die from my weakness too.._

Kagome wiped her tears away, saved the file, then closed it. The pain was there- the pain and the guilt. There was nothing she could do to erase it. In movies and books, people always had problems. Who didn't? When a loved one died, they got over it by loving someone else or by drowning themselves in school or work.

Kagome tried and it didn't work. Her work got sloppy and her homework made no sense. Kagome turned the computer off and looked around. She knew that there must have been a scent over everything- the scent of her tears. Slowly, she got into bed and hugged the blankets close to her. Butcher- the stuffed animal Rin had given her- being squeezed to death in her arms.

- - -

Sesshoumaru sighed as he began packing things up. He missed the days in which he was able to just be with Kagome at the apartment. He missed that more than he would admit to most people. But work was calling. The more experienced he got, the higher-paying jobs he was given. But money couldn't bring him his Kagome. Money couldn't do anything other than aid them in living.

Sesshoumaru packed up his work supplies and put them in a drawer. He used his keys to lock the drawer then he left. He was going to see Kagome, even if she wouldn't see him. She was asleep. He was sure of it. If she wasn't asleep, then she was waking up from her nightmares.

He feigned oblivion. He acted like he had no idea what was wrong. Each time he had tried confronting her, her face would harden and she snapped that nothing was wrong. But he knew otherwise. She often times woke up in the middle of the night, crying, grieving over her brother's death.

It had been two years. She still couldn't handle it, and it worried Sesshoumaru. The woman he cared most for was having problems. He wanted desperately to help her, but she wouldn't let him. She wouldn't let anyone. She was withdrawn more than she was when she refused speaking.

The thought intimidated him. What if she decided to stop speaking once more? He had been grateful for every word she spoke in the past two years. But, even though he told her that, he feared that she would someday stop speaking anyways. He didn't want that. He only wanted to heal her heart. But that was something he couldn't do. No amount of demon powers or love could heal her. He knew that now.

He had often hoped that, if he just loved her more, it would make up for the loss of her brother. Or if he got her just the right gift, she would no longer grieve. But he hadn't succeeded. The pain was in her heart, and she wouldn't allow anyone close enough to take it away.

Sesshoumaru looked up at the sky. His little brother would be human tonight. He looked back at his car and got in.

He wished that she would just let people know what was going on in her mind and her heart. He wished that, even if it wasn't him, she would tell _someone_ what was wrong so she could get help. He drove home, his mind turning and turning on the events of the past two years. She seemed to take some of it fairly well, if you didn't know how well she could hide things.

Sesshoumaru walked into the cold apartment. Whenever Kagome turned the heat off, it usually meant that she had a nightmare. She woke up sweating and hot, so she would turn the heater off. Sesshoumaru shivered and walked over towards the thermostat and turned the heat back on once more.

Winter was a bad time for her. She hated the snow, and it snowed every winter. It was hard just to convince her to come out of the house. It got harder each day.

Sesshoumaru gently took off his jacket and long-sleeved shirt. He put them on the chair that was resting in front of the computer. He could smell tears. Her nightmare had come already. Pain filled his heart at the thought that she had not called him and the fact that she would not trust him.

Sesshoumaru gently slid off his pants. She would be cold and she would need the warmth of his body. He slowly got into bed, doing his best not to wake her. He wouldn't think of trying to ruin her beauty sleep- even if she couldn't get any more beautiful. Even though he had done a good job of not moving the bed too much, she still stirred.

"You're home." She murmured softly. Sesshoumaru smiled and slid under the covers. He pulled her cold body against his and kissed the back of her neck. "How was work?" She asked quietly.

"Forget about the hospital. You had a nightmare." Sesshoumaru spoke into the back of her neck. Kagome's body shuddered, and he wasn't sure if it was from speaking near her ticklish spot or her memories of the nightmare that caused it.

"I don't want to talk about it." Kagome said. She turned around and looked into Sesshoumaru's eyes.

"Why not?" He asked as he hugged her waist closer to him. She didn't stop him, either.

"Because it's hard to think of sad things around you. Can we sleep now?" Kagome pleaded. Sesshoumaru smiled and kissed her lips. Kagome returned the kiss more than eagerly. The two of them smiled and slipped off into the world of sleep.

- - -

Sango groaned as a loud cry rang through the air. She got up from her rather comfortable spot on the couch and walked towards the crib. There was her daughter, Lynn, crying and wailing. Sango picked her daughter up and began rocking her back and forth. She couldn't smell a dirty diaper, so that meant that her daughter was hungry.

Sango knew that it was just about time to wake their son up, too. She looked towards the master bedroom of the house- where Miroku was at the moment. As if he knew she was waiting for him, Miroku came out and made a turn for the kids' room. He came out with a very tired little boy. Rockey.

"Miroku... I got a call from Sesshoumaru." Sango said softly. Miroku raised not one, but two eyebrows. Not only was Sesshoumaru their friend, but now Sango's doctor. Sango was on her way to having their third child.

"And he said..." Miroku prompted her after a few moments of silence. Sango shook her head.

"Two things. Baby is in good shape- he just got a chance to look at the x-rays this morning, and that Kagome's doing it again..." Sango's voice grew more distant with the mention of Kagome. It pained her when she thought of Kagome. They were still great friends, but Kagome wasn't the same since Souta and Ophielia died.

"You're trailing off and sounding wistful. What's going on?" Miroku asked. Sango took a deep breath.

"Her grandfather kicked the bucket."

"What a heartless way to put it, Sango."

"Shut up. It's not like I'm telling her yet. I knew, you knew, everyone knew that he was getting old and that he wasn't going to be around much longer... Just... Kagome won't be able to handle it in a level-headed way like you or Sesshoumaru or I might." Sango said. Miroku sat down beside her on the couch with Rockey lying against his lap.

"What do you mean?" He was afraid to ask what Kagome might do if she heard the news.

"Kagome stopped talking when she was raped. Kagome stopped trusting when Souta and Ophielia died. One more thing- no matter how small -Kagome might just decide she wants to quit living." Sango said. Miroku's face paled.

"Then how should we tell her? Does her mother know that we might not say anything for a while just for the sake of Kagome's life?" Miroku asked. Sango nodded.

"Yeah. She said that there wouldn't be a funeral. Whatever we tell Kagome, we have to tell her so she can go along with the story..." Sango said. Miroku sighed then shook his head.

"We should tell her... But things have been so hard for her... I don't want to burden her more." Miroku said. Sango nodded and pulled her shirt down when Lynn was done.

"I'll see her today. She said she'd come over." Sango said. Miroku nodded then stood.

"I'll be leaving to work then, dear. Will she bring you lunch or shall I?" He asked. Sango giggled.

"I think she'll do it, but I wouldn't mind if you come home for lunch." She said with a sly smile. Miroku's eyes widened at what she had hinted at. If they didn't already have two kids, he would take full advantage of that.

"I'll come home. Give me time to get some... stuff..." He trailed off. Sango smiled and nodded.

"I'll tell Kagome to come after lunch, then." She whispered to Miroku seductively. He smiled then went into their bedroom to dress for work.

- - -

Kagome quietly opened the bathroom door, she waited a few moments to let some of the steam clear out. She walked in and sat down on the toilet lid. She gave Sesshoumaru some time to acknowledge her presence. Demon senses were often useless during rain; showers were just like rain.

"Kagome, what are you doing in here?" Sesshoumaru softly asked. Kagome moved around a bit in her seat before she figured she'd get to it. The sooner she said it, the sooner she would be able to apologize for walking in on his shower.

"March 3rd." Kagome said shortly. Sesshoumaru paused long enough to turn the water off and peek his head out of the shower door. Kagome looked at him with a blush. He knew that she was trying to resist the instinct to look down. He grabbed the towel from behind her, clearing his throat.

"What of it?" He asked curiously. Kagome smiled, for once a genuine smile, this time. He found himself starting to smile back as well.

"Can that be the day of our wedding?" Kagome asked softly. Sesshoumaru was, to say the least, surprised that she had brought it up. He knew that she was stuck in her memories of Souta and that she wouldn't be able to move on until they were gone. Was she over it? He certainly hoped so, even though he knew that the chances weren't likely.

"What makes you say this, Kagome? Are you setting a date just to please me or do you wish to get married now?" He asked. Kagome hesitated. This was one of the few times that he wouldn't be able to know if her hesitation was good or bad.

"I want to get married. I've put it off long enough... If I expect to get over their deaths, then I need to start making memories to cover up those ones." Kagome said. _'It won't work.'_ Sesshoumaru thought for a fleeting moment. But, if that were the way Kagome wished to do things, he would not interfere. He was just glad that she knew what she wanted so he would be able to please her.

Sesshoumaru stepped out of the shower with the towel wrapped around his waist. Kagome walked behind him and placed a gentle kiss on his shoulder. That was always her endearment to him, and he wasn't quite sure why.

She had her own reasoning, he was sure.

Kagome left the bathroom and Sesshoumaru sighed. March 3rd. That was the day he would be getting married now. That was going to be the day of their marriage.

He wanted to feel happy, but he couldn't. A part deep inside of him knew that Kagome was trying to seize her suffering and to make him happy. She was never selfish and always wanted to make other people happy. She was doing it to see him smile. And her way of covering up her scent that screamed of a lie?

Kagome was good at that sort of thing. She had done it to Naraku and Andrew, and now it was going to be done to him. He hated the fact that he was receiving the same treatment. At least it was out of love, not spite. Naraku and Andrew had suffered the result of her anger. They had damaged her and paid the price.

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

_He was always trying to protect me… I am such a horrible person. He died because of me. What have I done? I killed someone by being weak. No longer will I be weak. I won't let anyone know that I have weak points. I will become strong. I won't sink to needing protection… I'll do it so I don't hurt anyone else…_

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Phrase above... To those who read **The Games We Play**, you'll know that this is my signature. This time, all the things that are written above are small excerpts from Kagome's diary... Yeah, that means they aren't random things anymore... But I will change them randomly. So, keep looking at them.

Review Replies:**  
RaspberrySorbet-** they are the beginning of Kagome's problems. After all, what good is a story if someone doesn't have problems to deal with?  
**Blue Dart-** I did think of whether or not to kill of Sesshoumaru. But, I can't. This is a SessKag fic, and I can't kill him. It would totally mess up the romance... Sad how I can't write a story without romance...  
**Asukawatanabe-** Heh. That part of the story was a bit different than my natural writing style. I read a book (about a P.I name Kat Colorado), and that was kind of how the author wrote the first page of the story. I liked it so much; I decided I'd try to write the same way... Guess I did well.  
**Veata-** Yeah, I fear his temper too... Speaking of temper... I got an idea! And of course fate hates her. Just read the title of the next chapter. That's what she thinks of fate...  
**Black Juju-** I missed writing it. I was working on another story, but I missed this plot so badly... I wasn't even going to post it until I was at least done with chapter five, but I missed writing it and reading the reviews that much...  
**YoukaiMei- **I don't know how I do it. I made it after I had started chapter one (after I started, I decided I wanted a prologue since I never made an epilogue). But don't cry! If you cry, then I won't be able to get gifts, and then I won't be able to write anymore! If you cry, I can't write!

Next Chapter:_ Fuck Fate_  
Reviews Needed:** 40**

**- Lonely Bird**


	3. Fuck Fate

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
July 7th, 3006  
July 9th, 2006  
July 10th, 2006

**_HolyDemon_ is Kagome, _SpiderBack _is Sango, _DamnHand _is Miroku, _HumanPuppy _is Inuyasha, and _MoodyTomboy _is Kikyou...**

**Hey, I'm thinking of getting a beta reader. I ran through _The Games We Play_ and spent 1.5 hours with spell check. That's a lot of mistakes... So, I'm thinking that I might ask some readers to proofread my stuff so it isn't so... bad...**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Two:_ Fuck Fate_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

Kagome slammed the door of her apartment. She just about had it. There had to be a cure, there just had to be. She stopped marching through the apartment in anger when she saw a pink slip on the refrigerator. She read it over then looked at the clock. She had forgotten that she had a doctor's appointment today.

And it was with Sesshoumaru, no less.

What a perfect time to tell him that she couldn't take it. She wasn't able to deal with her grandfather's death. She made a mental note to apologize to Sango for leaving so abruptly. What would you do if someone who cared for you for half your life died? Sure, it was expected, but it was still hard to deal with.

Tears filled in Kagome's eyes as she drove to the hospital to see Sesshoumaru. There wasn't anything strange about seeing him for check-ups and all... But it was just hard to do it after she had found out such rough news. She didn't want to be weak. Not in front of him, at least.

Kagome hated her weakness. She didn't want to show him that she wasn't able to handle things. She wanted to be strong. Sesshoumaru was always strong and always able to help her. He never showed weakness, irritation, nothing. She was different, and she hated it.

She had weaknesses, and she hated them. Even more than that, she hated herself for allowing the weaknesses. She wanted to prove that she was just as strong as she felt the day she killed Naraku and Andrew. She wanted to prove that she was able to stand on her own feet. She had tried proving that before and ended up dying.

If not for Sesshoumaru, that would have been it. Thankfully, he held a soft spot for her and brought her to life. Now that they were engaged and soon-to-be married, she knew that it wasn't simply a soft spot. He loved her. She loved him.

But she would never feel good enough for him just as long as she had fears and weak spots.

Kagome pulled into the parking lot and make a bad-parking job. She could care less. Right now, she was going to be late for her appointment with Sesshoumaru. That was bad. He would ask why she was late, and she would have to expose a weakness to him.

Kagome walked into the office casually and filled in her name for the appointment. She smiled at the lady behind the desk and was buzzed in. Naturally, she would have had to wait for them to call her. But since everyone in the office knew that she and Sesshoumaru were engaged, they let her in gladly.

Sesshoumaru's temper was another reason to not have her wait.

Kagome calmly walked to the office and knocked. Sesshoumaru grunted, meaning he was just doing paperwork. Kagome stepped in and smiled at him.

"Hey." She said softly. While he wasn't looking, she quickly wiped her tears away. Hopefully the smell of medicine and rubbing alcohol would distract him from her tears... Even if he was used to it, there were hopes that he would miss her scent because of those scents. Sesshoumaru slowly looked at her and put his pen down.

"How are you holding up?" He asked. Kagome blinked. Did he already know what happened to her grandfather?

"Sango tell you before me?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru smiled and nodded.

"We all worried you would take it the wrong way." Sesshoumaru said. He leaned forward and gently kissed Kagome's forehead. She smiled and slowly got onto the examination table.

"Okay... I looked at your medical history- or what it's supposed to be- and thought you might like to get a few x-rays and all taken. You're supposed to get that done every five or six years to make sure nothing is growing where it shouldn't be." Sesshoumaru said. Kagome nodded her head as he began to do his work.

"How long has he been dead?" Kagome asked quietly. Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Perhaps a few days. Not long." He said. It was true; he had died just recently. But it took them that long to decide how to break the news to Kagome. She had enough problems; it seemed, without hearing of another death in her family.

"And you're sure that it was of old age?" She asked. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

"Are you thinking that someone killed your grandfather?" He asked in curiosity and annoyance.

"Someone killed Souta and Ophielia to get to me. Why not my grandfather?" She asked sharply. Sesshoumaru knew that she hated things right now. He wanted to help, he truly did. But Kagome wouldn't let him.

"What we know right now is that he was nearly 100 and that's a good excuse to say his age caused him to die. If you're really so sure that it's homicide, then I'll get some detectives to look into it." He said. Kagome nodded. She didn't want people to investigate it, but she really was concerned. What if someone was still out to get her?

After, roughly, an hour, Sesshoumaru began to lead Kagome towards the next room to be examined. Kagome's mind was on the test. Sesshoumaru's mind was on the problems in his mind.

"Kagome... Tell me why you do not trust me." Sesshoumaru said. Kagome looked at him for a while. What kind of question was _that_?

"I do trust you." Kagome replied, oblivious to the reason Sesshoumaru was asking her.

"Then tell me why you do not love me." He said. Kagome's eyes widened as she looked in front of her. She did love him. Why would he think otherwise?

"I do... Why..." She wasn't able to finish asking her question. Her voice was fading out.

"If you love me and trust me, then what keeps you from talking to me? I know that you still mourn over Souta and Ophielia's death. Tell me why you are not telling me anything. You aren't telling anyone anything." Sesshoumaru said. Kagome looked at him, taking careful note of the glossed look in his eyes. Was he about to cry? If he was, was it for her or because of her?

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"This is what I mean. You have pain inside. I can _smell _it, and pain doesn't carry too much of a scent. If I can smell it, it is bad. But you won't tell anyone what's wrong. You won't speak to anyone about the problems. You just push me away. Not only me, but Sango and Miroku as well. Even Inuyasha is starting to worry." Sesshoumaru said.

"I..." Kagome felt tears fill her eyes as she tried to speak. It wasn't any good. Her words were failing her. Just like they failed her when she had tried to speak once again. Just like they failed her when she was raped. Her words were gone before she even realized that they were fleeing.

Sesshoumaru walked into the room and shook his head. Kagome could have sword she saw a tear escape his eye, but it seemed to be gone moments later. She blamed her vision while Sesshoumaru thanked demon speed. He would not cry for such a thing. No matter how much it bothered him, he would not cry.

He could not show weakness to Kagome. She loved him for being strong, and he would not be weak. He wouldn't allow himself to be weak just as long as Kagome loved his strength.

"Alright. Have you had any physical problems I should know about before running the machine on you?" Sesshoumaru asked in a professional tone. "Even if you think it's trivial, I have to know."

"Well... I've been having ache, a pain, in my stomach..." Kagome paused and rested a hand on her lower abdomen.

"You've also had a low appetite and weight loss." Sesshoumaru finished. After he had said it, he sighed. He had noticed it, but it seems that she hadn't. Perhaps she noticed the weight loss- women were always concerned with their weight. He looked at Kagome, who had wide eyes.

"You think I didn't notice? We buy groceries about once a month and you're lighter." He said. Kagome looked at herself. Had she really become thin without realizing it? No, she realized it. She wasn't hungry, so she didn't eat. She didn't eat and lost weight. Fast. The weight seemed to roll off of her ever since... Sometime after Souta and Ophielia's deaths.

Kagome nodded and Sesshoumaru sighed. "I need to send you to a gastroenterologist... The symptoms you have are common symptoms for an ulcer. He'll be able to tell you if you have anything." Sesshoumaru said. Kagome nodded silently as Sesshoumaru began running tests on her.

"Sesshoumaru..." Kagome slowly murmured as the last of the tests was finished.

"Hmm?" He looked at her like he no longer knew her. Like she was just another patient. Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out again.

"Not talking again, I see. Don't you think it's a bit juvenile now?" He asked as he helped her off the table she had been sitting on. Kagome shook her head as Sesshoumaru took her hand.

"I want to tell you what's bothering me... But the words won't come out..." Kagome felt a tear begin to fall out of her cheek. Before it had come out, Sesshoumaru wiped it away with his thumb.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. But I do wish that you'd trust someone and tell him or her what's going on in your head. I don't care if it's me or not. I just want you to start being yourself again." Sesshoumaru said. Kagome nodded and Sesshoumaru referred her to a specific gastroenterologist that worked in the building.

"Now, I want you to give him this note and he'll run the proper tests on you to see whether or not you have an ulcer." Sesshoumaru said. Kagome nodded and left him to his own thoughts.

She was having problems talking. He had helped the last time it happened. This time... He was unable to help. That hurt him more than he would care to admit. More than he would care to tell himself.

There are problems ahead when you have problems admitting things to yourself.

Sesshoumaru sighed as he began to fill out the paperwork for Kagome's visit. What was her reasoning for not telling him things, anyway? Did she truly not trust him or love him? Was she just doing a fine job at acting like she had done two years ago? He wouldn't put it beneath Kagome.

Her mind went through different things than his. He saw the pain that her lack of speaking brought her. What did she see? Promise? Possibility? Happiness? He didn't know, and he wanted to. He wanted to know what was making Kagome thing the way she had been thinking.

The marriage troubled him more. She seemed sure enough about it. But, she was an excellent actor when she wanted to be. He wasn't positive, but he could take a guess that she was putting a facade on. Why? What good would it do for her if they got married before she was entirely ready?

Sesshoumaru growled at his paperwork and got up. He would do it later. Or he just wouldn't do it. He looked at the door, which had been closed by someone else. He silently thanked whoever did that as he clenched his teeth together. His dentist would kill him for this.

Sesshoumaru felt the pain turning into anger inside of him. He tried to avoid anger at all costs. If he got angry, he didn't know what would happen. Now he was about to find out the strength of uncontrollable emotions. He opened his window and left, never telling a single person. Everyone in the office knew that, when he was angry, he left through the window so he could calm himself down.

Sesshoumaru stopped running at demon speed when he was out of the city and in the country. He growled loudly in attempt to relieve himself of the rage that filled him. His eyes slowly became red and his body began to change. He couldn't do it. He couldn't just watch Kagome destroy herself and be patient. It bothered him. A lot.

Sesshoumaru let out a long, frustrated howl once he had turned into his demon form. He didn't run around, like he usually did when he got upset enough to change forms. No. He wasn't able to think of running. He was exhausted because of all the things that were on his mind. The most important was... Kagome...

Sesshoumaru rested his large dog heard on his paws and closed his eyes. He would calm down before he went back to work. He had to. Otherwise he was likely to mess up and ruin something... or someone.

- - -

Kagome knelt down by the toilet in the office Sesshoumaru had directed her to. She coughed violently, her entire body shaking with the force of it. She opened her eyes to see her own blood floating within the toilet bowl. Tears filled her eyes as she sank next to it. The doctor said that she should go to the bathroom if she was having a coughing fit. She did. Now there was blood in the toilet.

"Ms. Higurashi? Is everything alright in there?" The doctor asked. Kagome slowly pulled herself up and opened the door. He looked worried, probably because Kagome's face had gone pale. Kagome weakly pointed to the toilet. He walked over and gasped upon seeing her blood.

"You are more sick than we thought. We'll need to put you on antibiotics immediately." He said. Kagome nodded her head weakly and slowly sat down on the examination table. She could have told you that she felt sick easily.

Something about this place just made her stomach turn and her want to puke... Or cough up blood. She wasn't too picky.

- - -

Kagome sighed as she opened the door to their cold apartment. She had been given pills to take for her ulcer. Apparently all the worrying she had been doing was damaging her immune system. Kagome walked to the computer, turning it on as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

She hated everything right now. She had her brother, grandfather, and future sister-in-law all die. Her mother's health was, according to the nursing home, failing. Kagome was given the house, since her mother said she would probably not be able to go back again. Her mother was preparing to die.

Kagome understood her mother's failing health. She was getting older and the depressions of the losses of her family were making her immune system almost non-existent. Kagome was young, so it wasn't so hard on her. But her mother wasn't young anymore...

Kagome grabbed a sticky note from the desk and scribbled something on it. She stuck it on the refrigerator so she wouldn't forget the next time she wandered by it.

_Don't forget to get movers to sell all the furniture... Perhaps we'll be moving there...?_

Kagome signed onto messenger, sighing. She missed her past. She missed everything when her only problems were being raped. She missed being frustrated with people for seeing her as a mute. She missed the little problems of life. Now life had bigger problems and she didn't want to deal with them.

She wished that she had realized how easy things were before. Now... Now things were hard, and she longed for the easiness that she had during high school. She now realized that her troubles then seemed to be trivial. They were nothing compared to the troubles she had now.

Kagome pushed the thoughts away from her mind as she opened up a conference.

**HumanPuppy has joined the conference.**

**DamnHand has joined the conference.**

**MoodyTomboy has joined the conference.**

**SpiderBack has joined the conference.**

**HolyDemon:**_ Hey, guys... How are you all doing?_

**HumanPuppy:**_ Good._

**MoodyTomboy:**_ You don't want to know._

**DamnHand:**_ Tired._

**SpiderBack:**_ I'm sorry, Kagome... I shouldn't have broken the news to you like that._

**HolyDemon:**_ It's not your fault, Sango... I just... I knew that he was getting old and getting weak... It's just hard to lose another person in my family... Especially with my mother talking like she'll be dying tomorrow._

**MoodyTomboy:**_ Wait... Who died?_

**HumanPuppy:**_ I'd guess her grandfather._

**MoodyTomboy: **_Oh my gosh... I'm so sorry, Kagome._

**HolyDemon:**_ It's fine... It's not your fault that he died..._

**MoodyTomboy:**_ I know... But after having your brother and his fiancé die... It must be so hard..._

**HolyDemon:**_ It is... Makes my problems in high school seem like nothing._

**DamnHand:**_ Seems like you're working your way up the problem scale._

**HolyDemon:**_ Yeah, tell me about it. They're gradually getting harder and harder to deal with._

**HumanPuppy:**_ Well... Fate is bound to have something good in store for you..._

**SpiderBack:**_ Says Mr. Insensitive. Geez, Inuyasha, can you sound any more heartless?_

**HolyDemon:**_ You know what? Fuck fate._

**DamnHand:**_ Gladly!_

**SpiderBack: **_Miroku!_

**DamnHand:**_ Crap... Forgot you were here..._

**SpiderBack:**_ You FORGOT? I'm going to knock you into the next nine layers of hell for that!_

**MoodyTomboy:**_ Aren't there only four layers...?_

**HumanPuppy:**_ Exactly..._

**HolyDemon:**_ So, Kikyou, how have things been going?_

**MoodyTomboy: **_Agonizing. I just started the morning sickness phase. I've started showing the weight..._

**HumanPuppy:**_ And she's started the strange cravings._

**HolyDemon:**_ Like what?_

**HumanPuppy:**_ Pickle ice cream._

**SpiderBack:**_ Don't blame her for the cravings! Things like that sound good and usually taste good when you're pregnant!_

**DamnHand:**_ Sango's favorite was the salmon and crab milkshake._

**HolyDemon:**_ I'm gonna puke._

**SpiderBack:**_ Oh, Kagome. How did your doctor's appointment with Sesshoumaru go?_

**HolyDemon:**_ He referred me to a ga... I don't even want to try spelling it. Basically, I was referred to someone else._

**MoodyTomboy:**_ Ouch. That sounds mean._

**HolyDemon:**_ Turns out, I have a stress-caused ulcer._

**HumanPuppy:**_ Ouch..._

**HolyDemon:**_ Hey, guys... I have to go. Sesshoumaru is going to be home soon._

**DamnHand:**_ So early...?_

**HolyDemon:**_ It's midnight, Einstein._

**DamnHand: **_Fuck! I have to leave for work in a few hours!_

**DamnHand has left the conference.**

**HolyDemon:**_ Good night, guys._

**MoodyTomboy: **_Night, Kagome._

**SpiderBack:**_ Sweet dreams. See you tomorrow?_

**HolyDemon:**_ Sure. Kikyou, you're coming too._

**MoodyTomboy:**_ What?_

**SpiderBack:**_ I'll explain._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

_One too many words. One too many thoughts. One too many suggestions. One too many deaths. One too many fake smiles. One too many times of acting like everything is going right. When will this end? The guilt haunts me at night and the visions haunt me in the day... Or is it the other way around? Who knows what to think anymore..._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Changed the phrase above...

Review Replies:  
**Veata-** I'm glad that you can tell what the characters are feeling. That is why I write in the style that I do; because I want people to understand what people are saying and feeling. And, yes... It seems very likely that Kagome would say things about fate, huh?  
**RaspberrySorbet-** Very well said!

_**Ugh. I'm not sure if I should keep writing this or not. I know it won't be nearly as long as The Games We Play, but I'm not sure if I should keep writing it. This might be only a few chapters, if I don't get any more ideas... If you readers have any ideas, send them in. I'll read each and every one.**_

Next Chapter:_ Loyal Followers_  
Reviews Needed:** 60**

**- Lonely Bird**


	4. Personal Followers

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
July 11th, 2006  
July 14th, 2006  
July 15th, 2006

**This chapter is dedicated to everyone who noticed that the ending battle was just a little too easy... I congratulate you... Actually, only one or two people mentioned that the battle was rather easy... If you're one of the people who picked up on it (you know who you are), then this chapter is for you.**

**Oh, how strange... I was reading _The Games We Play_ to see what Andrew looked like... I got completely absorbed in my own story. I was reading it like I wasn't the one who wrote it. Isn't that strange?**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Three:_ Personal Followers_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

She would pay. She had really assumed him to be that stupid. She really had expected him to be so easy to defeat. She had thought she could defeat him so simply.

She was stupid and she was pissing him off.

Of course, she had done a few things that caught him off guard. She had been alive when he believed her to be dead. She had staged a fight that he, although he hated admitting it, had believed to be real. She was smart. He smiled freely and looked into the soul-less eyes of his reincarnation. Thanks to her, he knew exactly what had happened in the battle.

"Kanna... Show me the location of the jewel." His deep voice sounded throughout the entire room. It echoed off the walls and the white-haired girl nodded. She shifted the position of the mirror she had been holding and an image appeared. Kagome was on the phone with someone; he didn't really care as to who it was. She was chatting and mentioning that they needed to go to the mall so she could help alleviate some of her stress.

A feral smile appeared on the man's face as he waved Kanna away. He looked around the dark room, sighing. He had waited two years to get to her. Not just him, but Andrew as well. He stood up and walked to the door. He opened it, allowing a demon to enter the room and look around. Bright green eyes met blood red ones. They knew each other; the look in green-eyes confirmed it.

"Naraku." Green-eyes greeted with a formal nod of his head.

"Andrew." Naraku replied as he closed the door behind them. He sat down in a chair, leaving Andrew to stand on the other side of the desk.

"It's been two years..." Andrew trailed off. Two years of merely fantasizing about the woman who had the perfect body. Two years of reminiscing of the days he was able to rape her almost as much as he wanted. Two years since they faked death and faked being weak. Amazing how Kagome had believed that it was so easy. Perhaps they had ought to teach her another lesson.

"Yes, it has... Now, the proposition I have is much better than that of last time... You will be able to control Kagome as you wish, if all works out." Naraku said with a grin. Andrew's eyes flashed with all the things he would love to do to her. And she would have to listen to him. The idea sounded wonderful.

"What do you want me to do?" Andrew asked, his eyes flashing with the darkness and madness that he had in him.

- - -

Kagome curled up on the bed, holding her abdomen in pain. It hurt. If she didn't know any better, she would think she was pregnant. But that wasn't possible. The last time a man had _entered_ her was when Andrew raped her. If she were to _willingly_ sleep with someone before marriage, then her powers would be taken away from her.

Kagome whined in pain as her stomach began turning. She had taken the medicine, hadn't she? She glanced over at the bottle of pills, her eyes flashing in curiosity. What if she had twice the recommended dosage? Would it hurt her? Kill her? Kagome decided she didn't care. If it got rid of her pain, then she would live with whatever the harmful result was.

Kagome grabbed the pills and swallowed them whole, not needing any form of liquid to help her. She felt her stomach turn once more and rushed towards the bathroom. Once she had gotten through the door, she began going into a coughing fit. At least she wasn't coughing up blood this time.

Kagome's ears would have perked if she were a demon. The sound of the door closing caused her to peek her head out towards the front door of the apartment. Sesshoumaru wasn't supposed to be home yet. Kagome stared in that direction for a while before shrugging it off. She had mistaken herself, that's all.

Kagome stood up and began to pull on proper clothes, rather than the large T-Shirt she had previously been wearing. She, Sango, and Kikyou were going to go shopping. She wouldn't be able to buy anything unless she asked Sesshoumaru. And, quite frankly, she was a bit scared of him at the moment.

She had never known Sesshoumaru to have a temper. Sure, he got angry with other people, but usually when she wasn't around. But, this was the first time he had directed the anger and frustration towards her. She hated it. She hated the idea of him being mad at her and being upset with her. It just ate her out.

Kagome glanced at her college books. She was on Christmas break right now, thankfully. But she still hadn't touched the work her professors had given her. _'I'll do it when I get home.'_ Kagome thought as she pulled a sweater over her head. She grabbed the pills and put them in her purse, just in case she got sick again.

As Kagome grabbed her car keys and headed out the front door, her mind went to her schooling. She had gone to college simply because the idea of being completely done with school was still strange to her. She was taking general courses, since she really didn't care.

Why was she wasting the money on tuition and books? Why didn't she just quit going to college and just... Be like Sango and Kikyou. Sango had gotten married and had two kids. Kikyou had gotten married and was working on having her first. What kept Kagome from doing the same things as them? What kept her from being normal?

Her grip tightened on the steering wheel as her answer came to her. _'The Shikon No Tama... Andrew... Naraku... Souta, Ophielia, and Grandpa...'_ Her mind listed everyone and the one object that had kept her from having such a hard life.

She didn't like it at all. She wanted to be normal. She wanted to have average grades, a husband, and a kid or two. She wanted to start her life, not just watch it slowly dissolve from under her own eyes. The Shikon No Tama was the source of everything that had happened. Andrew and Naraku would not have tracked her if she never held it. Souta and Ophielia wouldn't have been murdered if she didn't protect it...

Her grandfather died of old age... The jewel shouldn't have affected him too much. Still... Kagome couldn't help but think that her grandfather's death wasn't natural. He was still pretty lively, even if his health was failing. He showed no signs that old people show when they start dying. Even Sesshoumaru had to agree there.

So, if someone had killed him and her brother along with his fiancé... Who would have done it? No one knew about the Shikon No Tama. Even though she wore it on her neck each and every day, no one knew about it. She was able to conceal the power that was radiating out of it. She was the only one who could sense it and see its glow.

Kagome fingered the necklace as it hung around her neck. Who knew about it? Naraku and Andrew did... But they were dead. Did they tell any others about it before they died? Perhaps they did what Souta had done; they went on a chat board and told everyone who she was and what she possessed.

Only, there was a difference between motives. Souta did it out of misplaced anger. They did it out of pure hatred and malice towards Kagome...

That was, _if_ they did it... There was still doubt about that.

Kagome let out a heavy sigh as she parked the car in the mall's parking lot. It was the same mall in which they had staged a fight to throw off Andrew and Naraku. Using that fight, they were then able to defeat them. Kagome's mind shifted gears as she began walking towards the front of the mall. She would meet her friends in the food court, just as she had done before.

And, yes, she was _perfectly_ aware that there was a man with no fashion sense following her. He had a black Ford truck and Pimp Daddy rims. What was he wearing? What would any amateur stalker wear? What else but a striped shirt that looked like he just escaped from prison, a black trench coat, and large and dark sunglasses, with a pair of jeans.

_'If you're gonna go for the Goth-stalker look, at least finish it rather than leaving it half-undone...'_ Kagome mentally scolded. She approached her two friends, smiling. Sango was sitting down with her daughter in her arms, and Kikyou was eating lord-knows-what.

"Hey, guys!" Kagome greeted cheerily. She would be happy around them, even though she was somewhat concerned with the man following her. She sat down, looking at Kikyou and her NASCAR baseball cap. Kagome cautiously leaned over to see what she was eating. It looked like it had once been ice cream.

"Mustard and ketchup mixed with vanilla ice cream." Sango said. Kagome looked at her and her face drained of color.

"I'm surprised you can even look at that, let alone eat it..." Kagome managed to spit out. Kikyou looked up at her with a clueless expression on her face.

"Try it, Kagome!" Before Kagome could protest, a spoonful of Mustard and Ketchup- and did she taste salt? -Ice cream was shoved into her mouth. Kagome waited until Kikyou had pulled the spoon out from between her lips before she reacted.

Slowly and calmly, Kagome approached the trash can. She spit it out, and then felt her stomach turn. She could feel the sharp pain in her abdomen slowly creating a nauseous feeling in her gut. She didn't have time to make it to the bathroom, and vomitted in the trash can. Slowly, after she was sure she had recovered, she returned to the table.

"I was going to tell you guys that I have an ulcer... I throw up at the littlest of things, like eating when I'm not hungry." Kagome explained. Kikyou's expression was solemn before her eyes began to fill with tears. Kagome quickly figured out what was happening and sent a helpless look to Sango. Sango gave her a look, shaking her head.

There was no escaping Kikyou's mood swing.

"Oh, Kagome! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have done it! I shouldn't have given you a spoonful! I should have known that you had an ulcer or that something wasn't right! Oh, Kagome! I'm so sorry!" Kikyou wailed. She hugged Kagome tightly, sobbing for an unknown reason. Kagome wasn't quite sure that she understood what was worth crying about.

_'This must be how men feel when women cry over stupid things...'_ She finally concluded.

After chatting for a while, the three girls began to wander around the mall. None of them were all too intent on buying things, but it would be nice to get ideas for what they each wanted for Christmas. After all, the big holiday was coming up soon and no one had any idea what the other wanted.

"You guys... Did you know I had my own personal followers?" Kagome asked discreetly. Sango and Kikyou both looked at her in curiosity. She sounded like she was going to starting to cult or something... Actually, it sounded like it had been started already.

"What?" Sango was the first one able to find words. She knew that Kagome was weird and said random things... But this was beyond what she was used to.

"There are two men following me... They've been following me since we got here." Kagome said.

"Do they know about...?", Kikyou trailed off, knowing full well that Kagome knew the rest of the sentence. _'Do they know about the Shikon No Tama? God, I hope not...'_ Kagome thought as they turned to go into Victoria's Secret. Sango's request, but Kagome was willing.

"Geez... Here's a redneck joke right here. _If you're eight months pregnant and going into Victoria's Secret to see what you want for Christmas... You **might** be a redneck_." Kikyou teased as she began walking around with her friends. Like really, how often did you see pregnant women shopping for sexy lingerie?

"Hey, Kagome! What do you think Miroku will think if I wore this for him?" Sango asked as she held up a few pieces that were, apparently, supposed to be a bra and panties. Kagome stared.

"I think that he won't see it. It's pretty small, Sango." Kagome remarked. Sango smiled, shaking her head.

"Kikyou, are the creepy men stupid enough to come in here?" Kagome quietly asked. Kikyou glanced at her friend then behind her on the pretense of looking at underwear on a mannequin ass. She made a sound, telling Kagome that the men were in fact in the store.

"Sango... I need to go. I don't want to bring anything against you guys... Besides, I need to know what's going on." Kagome whispered. Sango nodded and hugged her.

"I'll be sure to recommend Sesshoumaru to getting you a gift card for this place." Sango teased as Kagome left. Kagome looked back just long enough to stick her tongue out at Kagome. Sure, it was a childish thing to do, but who said you couldn't do childish things?

- - -

Sesshoumaru let out a heavy sigh as he stared at the sticky note on the fridge. That was Kagome's way of remembering things, although he couldn't see why. She rarely ate and the fridge wasn't in a place that she passed by too often. Still, somehow she managed to remember when there was a sticky...

_Don't forget to get movers to sell all the furniture... Perhaps we'll be moving there...?_

What did that mean? Sesshoumaru racked his head for a moment before it came to him. Oh yes, her mother. She was speaking of dying and asking Kagome to sell everything inside the house. Kagome didn't want to, but her mother was very persistent on the subject. So... Kagome said she would. Her mother said that all she wanted was enough to stay in her nursing home so she could die peacefully.

He remembered how much that had hurt Kagome to hear. She had lost her brother, her friend/his wife, and her grandfather. Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if her mother's death would do anything but make her go insane. He had heard of it, but never seen it. He had heard of people going mad from something happening to them; a certain situation that just made them snap and they never recovered.

Like what Kyoko had done; only she recovered. If Kyoko died, Kagome wouldn't be able to recover.

Sesshoumaru growled at the thought and opened up the refrigerator to begin making dinner. Kagome wasn't home, and he had just gone grocery shopping. He would make food while she was out. Then, hopefully, when she got back she would be able to eat. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he began to smell the milk to see if it was safe.

He hated having to treat Kagome like she was one of his patients. He hated having to be a doctor after he got home. If Kagome would just _talk_ to someone- didn't have to be him -then he would be at ease, knowing she was able to get her problems out of her mind. As soon as they were out of her mind, her ulcer would most likely just leave.

But Kagome wasn't giving that any chance. She was just... absorbing her own pain. She was causing her own destruction. Did she realize it? Sesshoumaru would guess that she didn't. He would guess that she thought she was helping people. Kagome was always the type who didn't want to burden others. That desire to not burden people became an obsession when she refused to speak to others about her problems.

It seemed she was _petrified_ of telling people that there were things wrong with her. Perhaps it was an illusion? Perhaps she believed that if she were just able to make other people think she was fine (by not talking about her problems), that she would soon feel fine... Didn't she know that hidden emotions came back with a nasty vendetta and a horrible bite?

Sesshoumaru hated to say it, but he was pretty sure she was about to find out the hard way. Getting her to speak before she had to learn that would take a lot of who-knows-what. Patience? Definitely, because Kagome is stubborn. Dedication? Definitely, for the same reason that patience will be needed.

Now, he just had to find someone who was patient and dedicated...

**O o O o O o O o O oO**

_One too many words. One too many thoughts. One too many suggestions. One too many deaths. One too many fake smiles. One too many times of acting like everything is going right. When will this end? The guilt haunts me at night and the visions haunt me in the day... Or is it the other way around? Who knows what to think anymore..._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Who was the person who was asking about Kanna during **_The Games We Play_**? There was someone who liked her and asked if they would see her or not... Who was that? Well, turns out that you _will_ be seeing her. I honestly didn't plan this...

How sad is it that I don't plan what'll happen in my own stories? Heh. Just about everything I do is done on a whim... That's probably a bad habit, huh?

Review Replies:  
**RaspberrySorbet**- I intend to give this a happy ending, since I have no desire to create another story and possibly ruin what I already have... Do I even have anything? Feels like there aren't many reviews anymore... Hmm...  
**InterwovenEmotions-** Ah. That will be the last death... That Kagome will mourn over... Hee hee hee. I couldn't help saying it. Sorry! And, yes, sequels are hard to get ideas for. I generally don't do them just because sequels tend to be much worse than originals... I intend to avoid that as much as possible, though...  
**Veata-** Awww... I will miss hearing from you... But, when you get back, I expect to have a new chapter up. You're leaving for camping the day after I fly up to see my sisters, did you know that? Well... You said you loved that Kagome said it and Miroku's reaction. Then Sango's reaction to Miroku's reaction. I had forgotten what I wrote, and had to go and look... Glad you loved it, though!  
**Kira-Jayde-** Don't worry about me updating too fast. With as little reviews as I seem to be getting (is everyone leaving internet access as a part of their vacation or what?), I'm sure that I won't be updating too fast. And I feel so bad that you have to sit in a cold library just to read the stuff! I'll send you a computer! ...No, wait... It's being fixed... Nevermind... Oh, thanks for reading my stories, even if you didn't review often. You don't know how happy it makes me.

Next Chapter:_ Cloud Of Confusion_  
Reviews Needed:** 70**

**- Lonely Bird**


	5. Cloud of Confusion

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
July 19th, 2006  
July 24th, 4006

**Sorry for the long wait, guys. I'm in Redding (northern California) now, and it's so bloody hot all the time! At night, it cooled down to 102 degrees. During the day, it went over 120. I think I'm going to evaporate before I finish the story.**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. I am SO sorry that I didn't update sooner! DON'T EAT ME!**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Four: _Cloud Of Confusion_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

Sesshoumaru growled as he paced back and forth throughout the entire apartment. It was nearly three in the morning and Kagome wasn't home. Would she have spent the night with Sango or Kikyou? No, someone would have told him... Right? Still. Something just didn't seem right about her being gone this late at night. He had to ask someone about it.

He picked up the phone, pausing to decide whom to call. Sango or Kikyou? They both had gone with Kagome to the mall. He started to dial Kikyou's number, since she was always levelheaded and helpful in situations. Sango was more likely to freak out and scare him even more. As he dialed the fourth digit, he hung up.

Kikyou was eight months pregnant. She needed her sleep, and she would also be moody. Sesshoumaru, quite honestly, preferred not to deal with her at three in the morning. Her or his brother once he found out the hour of night Sesshoumaru had called. He sighed and turned the phone on, dialing Sango's number this time. The phone rang twice before someone picked up.

_"Hello?"_ Her voice on the other end was not one that had just been woken up.

"Hello, Sango... This is Sesshoumaru... Were you awake?" He had to admit to being surprised that she would be awake at this hour. Sure, Sango was the type to stay up late and pour herself shots, even if she did have two kids. But as long as she was nursing her youngest daughter, she wouldn't be able to do that...

_"Yeah. Lynn started crying for something to eat a while ago and I haven't gotten to sleep yet." _Sango replied calmly. _'At least I didn't wake her up...'_ Sesshoumaru thought idly. Silence passed between the two of them as Sesshoumaru's mind slipped away from what he had called for.

_"Sesshoumaru?"_ Sango's voice over the phone snapped him from his thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry..." He hadn't realized that he was zoning out. It seemed that he was beginning to do more of that these days.

_"Well... No offense or anything, but is there a reason you're calling me at three in the morning or were you just bored?"_ Sango asked. Sesshoumaru was surprised that she kept such a wonderful attitude at hours this early. Then again, she had two kids and was hoping for a third. That would teach someone patience and understanding on it's own.

"Yes... I don't know where Kagome is. She didn't come home. I thought perhaps she spent the night with you or Kikyou... I called to ask Kikyou, but I decided against it. She's very pregnant, very moody, and Inuyasha will give me a migraine if I do... So I called you to see if _you_ knew where Kagome had gone." Sesshoumaru explained. Silence filled the other line. Bad silence.

When someone was missing and you heard silence, it raised panic. Lots and lots of panic. Especially for a demon that was protective over his depressed mate.

_"Ohmygod, Sesshoumaru! I thought she had come home! I'll call her cell right now and get a hold of her." _Sango quickly rushed.

"I called it. It rang. She left it on the charger." Sesshoumaru replied calmly. Sure, he _looked _and _seemed_ calm, but he wanted nothing more than to drop the emotionless mask he had built and freak out.

_"Oh no... I'll go looking for her! I'll get Kikyou--"_

"No... I'm a demon, I can do this much easier. Perhaps if she is still gone by morning, we shall have you two help. But out of you, the pregnant human, and me, I'm more useful at night." Sesshoumaru said. Sango made a sound that showed she was reluctant to give in.

_"Call me when you get anything on her. If I don't hear from you, I'll call your cell..." _Sango said. Sesshoumaru nodded, saying a quick goodbye to her and then hanging up the phone.

Sango seemed oblivious to the fact that Kagome had gone. That wasn't good at all. Growling freely, Sesshoumaru stood up and charged out of the apartment. He had problems with Kagome keeping her emotions inside of her before. But not coming home at night was something else entirely new. Even worse, she held the Shikon No Tama around her neck. If someone else realized that the ordinary-looking pink marble was the Jewel of Four Souls, Kagome would be killed for sure.

Sesshoumaru stopped on his way out, going back inside to grab the Tensaiga. He would rather bring it for no reason than leave it and have Kagome slip away from him forever.

- - -  
(Three Hours Earlier)

Kagome let out a groan of pain as she leaned forward. Her head hurt like she had just gave birth through her nose. She looked around, her eyes unable to see a damn thing in the dark. Times like this, she wouldn't mind being a demon. At least they could see in the night. Or even perhaps a cat. Cats could see very well in the dark, too.

"How goes it, my vixen?" A sultry voice spoke. Kagome silently cursed the effect that echoing had; she couldn't tell which way to look. Unable to look towards the man who spoke to her, she attempted to look at her hands. That's when she realized that they were in handcuffs. Her ankles had chains on them, meaning that walking would have to be done slowly and methodically.

"I'm not your vixen if I don't have a name." She hissed. If she got this man talking long enough, she could use her miko powers to figure out where he was. That was only if he stayed in one position the entire time they conversed.

"Oh, you know my name, baby. We've shared _so much_ together." The voice was cold, harsh, and lustful. Kagome's head shot up and her eyes widened. No. She had personally seen the event that would prevent this from ever happening. She was supposed to be safe, damnit!

"Andrew! Show me where you are!" Kagome hissed. Without warning, all the lights in the building turned on. She closed her eyes quickly, shielding them from the onslaught of brightness. Slowly, she reopened them and glanced around the room.

It was the same room she had been taken to the first time she was raped. It was where Kimi's live had been jeopardized and, as a result, she had died. Kagome glared at the bed frame. The blood from her and Kimi was still staining the worn-out wood. She turned her attention to other places in the room. The posters had changed, but they were the same perverted shit that she hated oh-so much.

"I take it you remember where you are." Andrew's voice cut through her thoughts. Kagome changed her vision from looking at the posters to looking at him. He was standing at the door, and she was sitting on the bed with a nightlight right next to her. That was probably how Andrew made it so she couldn't see him, but he could see her crystal clear.

Of course, he was able to use his demon vision perfectly. What was keeping him from doing it?

Andrew stepped forward, one of his eyes being covered completely. When he noticed Kagome looking at it, he shifted around the hair so she could see the scar that ran along it. She wanted to ask what it came from, but she wouldn't let herself. She didn't care about him or anything that happened to him. All she hoped is that it hurt him at the time and still hurt him now. Something to cause him pain in return for all the pain he inflicted on her.

"My eye... It was the sacrifice I gave so I would be able to have extra vision. It's amazing the works that Naraku can work... Of course, I was only able to gain the extra vision after I killed Souta and absorbed his powers. Now I can see the glow of the Shikon Jewel, just as you can." He smiled and looked at the pink jewel dangling around her neck.

Kagome clenched her teeth, rage filling her entire being. He had killed Souta. And why? Just to get enough miko powers that would allow him to see the jewel. Thankfully, he wasn't born with the ability to have such powers. That meant her magic should still work on him.

"Come near me and I'll purify your dick off." Kagome growled in a low tone. She was no longer the innocent girl that tried to hide her rape from everyone. She had matured and seen just enough to know that she had to stand up for herself.

"I wouldn't do that. You see, you've got two metal clamps connected to both your nipples, in which are connected to a car battery. All I have to do is put the other clamp on the car battery... Your nipples will undergo one of my favorite torture methods." He said. Kagome shuddered. That would explain why she couldn't feel her bra.

Her body froze up as she realized that meant he had undressed her. He had put his slimy hands on her once again. That was too much. Without caring about the pain, Kagome stood up and lunged forward. The chains on her ankles restricted her first step. But with a strong jerk of her leg, the chains snapped.

Kagome knew that she had just hurt her ankles badly. She knew that her bone was possibly broken, but she didn't have the time to care. She had to kill that... that... that **_bastard_** for killing her brother!

Kagome tackled Andrew, putting her handcuffed hands to his throat. He smiled, as though the action were simply foreplay.

"You're going to pay for touching Souta. Let me guess, you killed Ophielia because she was close to catching you guys, huh?" She asked in deep tones. She had not once lost control to her darker side. She had not once had the beast within her- the beast that helped her protect the Shikon No Tama -come out without her purposely letting it out.

Kagome's vision slowly left her, as did the rest of her senses. The only thing she knew now was death, Andrew's death. For what he had done to her, and what he had done to her brother.

Before Kagome could think another thought, her mind slipped away from her. She had lost control entirely. She had lost to a side of her that had never left her control... The loss of control she felt was the same loss of control that a demon often felt when they turned into their true forms.

- - -

It took a lot to get Kagome back in her right mind. But, with a jab to her rib, some nasty sounding cracks, and a sharp pain in her head, Kagome had come back. She pushed the darker side of her mind away as she began to take control.

_'What happened?'_ Kagome's mind was barely even able to find words to think. Her mind felt numb. And her body? As the feeling began to return to it, she wished it had been numb as well. A sharp pain was shooting from her ankles and up to her hips. There was another pain at her waist... It hurt so bad, she wasn't quite sure if she could try to define it.

Kagome glanced around as her vision began coming back to her. What had happened? She looked up at the person who was holding her. She could feel a hand on her back and saw the hand under her legs. For some reason, she couldn't feel the hand.

"Sesshoumaru..." Kagome murmured as she studied the hand for a while longer. She looked up into his face, feeling the tears begin to fill her entire body; not just her eyes. The pain in Sesshoumaru's eyes was so clear. He rarely showed any emotion... And... She had never seen him express so much hurt.

"You're awake." His voice was harsh, like he had no desire to speak to her. He almost sounded obligated to do anything for her. Kagome winced at the cold tone in his voice and rested her head against his chest. She would find out why he was upset with her later. Right now, she just wanted to rest.

- - -

He had known that Kagome was hiding things from him. He had just assumed that it had stopped at her pain. But it seemed as though she had been hiding much more than he knew.

The images burned in his mind still. The image of a man- right now, he didn't care who it was -thrusting in and out of Kagome. Her eyes were open, dilated. Perhaps she had been drugged? No, he had already figured that she was entirely sober. Her scent hadn't changed.

Even so... With each thrust from the man, she would moan. Did she love him? Was she looking for a quick fuck? What was her reasoning for doing this? Was he not paying enough attention to her? Did she desire sexual attention?

Sesshoumaru silently hit himself. He had been so worried about the state of her mind. He had been so concerned about making her uncomfortable or scared of him that he had never advanced on her unless he had to. Kagome never seemed to mind, though...

_'Perhaps because she's getting her fix from another man...'_ Sesshoumaru thought angrily. He had been so damn cautious that she just gave up on him and paraded her body around to other men. Was that what happened?

_'Kagome... She's not like that, and you know it.'_ The part of his mind that still loved her screamed. Sesshoumaru didn't know what to think anymore. Right now, he was just as confused as he had been the day of the accident. That day was one of the most horrific times he had gone through.

Not anymore.

Seeing Kagome moaning with each thrust of a man just made him upset. If she had fallen out of love with him, why had she lied? He could handle her wanting to be with someone else. It wasn't his favored option, but he would live...

But... The connection he had hoped to make when she was ready... The connection that came when you shared pleasure with someone else... The carnal pleasure that he had kept from enjoying his entire life... He hoped to experience that for the first time with her.

After all, Kagome had never known that feeling to come with pleasure... It would be a first for both of them.

But Kagome hadn't shared the same hope that he had. She hadn't shared that desire to be close to him, like she had once expressed to him.

_"When people love each other so much that they want to give their bodies to each other... That they want to pleasure each other... I have a hard time understanding that now..." Kagome had looked at him with a sad glint in her eye. They had been engaged for merely a month, and she was telling him this... It sounded like a warning to him._

_"Kagome, I will wait until you are ready. If you're never ready, then I'll be here for you..." Sesshoumaru had hoped that it would cheer her up. A mix of emotions flashed through her eyes before she finally looked up at him._

_"You were always a winner like that... Always willing to do anything for a friend... Or a fiancé..." She murmured. Sesshoumaru had felt his lip twitch in desire to smile._

She had changed a lot over the engagement, so it seemed. Sesshoumaru looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms. He truly loved her. How she felt about him... Well, only she would know. Before, he would have bet his life that she loved him. At the moment, he wasn't quite sure.

But he would think about that later. Right now, he had to put Kagome in bed and call Sango and Kikyou to let them know he found her. They needed to talk in the morning. Kagome told them just about everything. They would know where her heart was when it came to him and carnal pleasure.

**O o O o O o O o O oO**

_Ignorance is bliss? I don't think so. Ignorance is just innocence that asks to be destroyed in the most violent way possible... I can't believe I thought things were over with. Happy endings are only in stories, not in real life. Especially mine... I wish that all these problems would just... go away... And take the Curse of the Shikon No Tama with them..._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Changed the phrase above... Again...

Okay... Who here is confused? Let me know what you're thinking, okay? I want to know if you're confused or what you think is going on. As much as you don't realize it, hearing from you guys is one of the things that make me the happiest!

Review Replies:  
**BlackVampire14-** Don't worry, Kagome won't be sick for too much longer. Sesshoumaru may be frustrated with her, but he won't let her suffer until he knows that she's learned her lesson...  
**InterwovenEmotions- **Thanks for still reviewing! Anyway, yes, that will have something to do with it... And your idea will be taken into consideration... I can do lots with it!  
**YoukaiMei- **Yay! You're back! And you not reviewing is fine, just as long as you tell me you had a nice trip... Honestly, how was it? And, the two men following her? No, I didn't make it that obvious. She would have sensed them immediately, because she had gotten so familiar with their... electric waves... Sorry, don't know what else to call it. About the ice cream... It is so disgusting to see them eat stuff like that. I can't handle watching pregnant women eat. Now, to end this insanely long review reply... THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS!

**Next Chapter:**_ The Curse  
_Reviews Needed:** 90**

**- Lonely Bird**


	6. The Curse

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
July 26th, 2006  
July 30th, 2006  
July 31st, 2006

**Sorry that I didn't post this for so long. I was procrastinating on it... I'm not too fond of this chapter, so a few (or a lot) of things might change. Oh, this is also pretty short. So, you'll have to forgive me. I just don't want people to attack me because it's taking me longer to update...**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Five: _The Curse_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

The Shikon No Tama... The Jewel of Four Souls... A glowing pink marble that held the power to grant any wish... Any wish from having mustard on your sandwich to having total control over the world. It was powerful, and everyone who heard of it longed to own it.

After all, who would want to pass up the chance to have their biggest dream and fantasy become a reality?

The jewel was formed out of a woman during feudal ages. It had been shattered and rebuilt with the help of a very unlikely group- a demon slayer, a monk, a miko, and a half demon. Legend has told the story throughout the ages. But, as time passed on and demons slowly began to conceal themselves, the story faded into what it is today. Legend.

Stories have attempted to tell what happened to the jewel. It was used by one of those who had helped restore it. It was stolen and never seen again. It had been burned with the body of the miko who had broken and repaired it. Many stories explained why you couldn't find it.

But it was right under everyone's noses. It was just waiting for someone to make a wish upon it so the powers it held would finally be used.

- - -

"I don't think Kagome would have done something like that, Sesshoumaru." Sango shook her head and looked at the worried demon sitting before her. She had never been able to read emotions on his face like Kagome could. But right now, she could. Perhaps his mask was slipping, or perhaps she was just starting to gain the extra knowledge; like Kagome had.

"But I _saw_ her..." Sesshoumaru murmured. Kikyou came up, a nasty concoction in her hands and baffled Denny's workers behind her. Sesshoumaru scrunched his nose and looked away from her food dish. Her child was, most definitely, going to like food that everyone else deemed as gross.

"Saw who?" Kikyou asked. Sesshoumaru waited for her to sit down uncomfortably and start digging into the disgusting combination. He didn't even want to try to figure out what the ingredients were in that.

"Sesshoumaru _thinks_ he saw Kagome lying in an abandon warehouse with some guy having sex with her... And he _thinks_ she was enjoying it." Sango emphasized her points to prove that there was no way he could be right.

"No, I did see it. I saw a man pushing himself in and out of Kagome. She was moaning," Sesshoumaru snapped at Sango. Instantly after saying it, he lowered his head and sighed. "I'm sorry for snapping. I've been on edge about the whole thing." He murmured.

- - -

Often times, when one heard about the Shikon No Tama, they heard only wonderful things about it. It gave you powers. It would grant you a wish. It would give you respect, since you could easily wish someone's death. It also granted you with a being stronger than any demon or human.

It gave you control over a monster that nothing could defeat. No demon, human, or machine could conquer it. That was a way of reassuring that the bearer of the Shikon No Tama could protect it.

But, when legends were told about it, you never heard about the _curse_ of the Shikon No Tama. After all, how could something that seemed so wonderful bear a curse?

- - -

Kagome moaned and rolled over in bed. Her head hurt, her ankles and wrists hurt, and she felt like she had something shoved in between her legs. They were sore... just as when she got raped.

Kagome instantly shot up and looked down at her body. She was dressed in what she had gone to the mall in... Okay, so she was dressed in the _remains_ of the clothing, but she wasn't naked. As she began to look around the room, she found that she was in the apartment.

Had Sesshoumaru raped her or was her attacker kind enough to take her back? But what rapist would know where she lived and be caring enough to take her back?

_'Calm down, Kagome... We'll sort things out later...'_ She reprimanded herself. She sat on the bed in silence before realizing something was terribly wrong.

"We? What we?" She questioned herself out loud. She had never had a voice in her head speak as if there were more than one of her. Was there someone else controlling her mind? Impossible. Her abilities as a miko wouldn't allow anyone to enter her mind unless she was willing.

So who was the other person in her mind speaking to her?

Kagome bit down on her lip and stood up quickly, causing all the blood to rush to her head. She fell down onto the bed and began shaking. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she control what her body was doing?

_'Yes. **We** will work things out... You've held me back for too long, Kagome. I'm bored.'_ The voice in her mind sounded as if it were examining its nails out of boredom. Kagome searched her mind for a possible explanation. That's when it hit her. There was only one thing in her mind she had been holding back...

- - -

Kedamono. That was the name of the beast inside the bearer of the jewel. If you held the jewel, this beast would lay dormant in your body, waiting for a command. Waiting for the chance to protect the jewel it's heart had been trapped in.

But the lines of the legend run deeper, etching themselves into the jewel itself. Kedamono was the name for the beast. No one knew why, no one except _her_.

Priestess Midoriko was a woman from the age of war- swords, demons, and a clash between light and dark magic. In this time of war, she fought demons. The unknown power of the light was given to her. No one had seen it before; therefore, she was envied... As well as threatened.

Kedamono was the demon man who loved Midoriko. In his eyes, Midoriko was the only woman that was worth spending his life with. Although they never bore a relationship, he suffered when she fought demons days upon days. Priestess Midoriko finally could not handle the demons any longer and created the Shikon No Tama from her own body.

When Midoriko's entire being was trapped inside of the jewel to wage war forever, Kedamono was taken as well. Since he was unable to neither help nor fight against Midoriko, he became her protector. Each time the jewel would have a new home; he would become a part of them. Lying dormant and willing to do anything that threatened the woman that he believed to be his. Midoriko.

Much to Kedamono's dismay, he slowly began discovering the secret desires of these women. And the more he discovered, the more he lost himself and became like them. After having gone through several different protectors, he now had the twisted desires of every miko that had ever protected the Shikon No Tama.

And that left him with desires that he often had to force his host's body to fulfill. Often times, they wouldn't do it themselves...

- - -

_'Kedamono is what legends will call me. You've shown my form to your friend, have you not? I'm the one you say lives inside you to aid you in protecting the jewel...'_ The voice was clearly a man's voice now. It seemed as if he had regained his ability to sound different once Kagome realized that he wasn't a part of her. He was a different person living in her.

Kagome felt a numb feeling engulf her body as she struggled to do something. Hearing voices in her head was a first. She wanted so badly to be able to do something about hearing someone in her head, but nothing could be done. Slowly but surely, her body refused to listen to her. She didn't have to look down at her claws to know that the beast had come out.

She was lucky to still have her normal thoughts. When it came out, she generally lost control entirely.

Kagome's mouth moved, but she didn't form the words. That _beast_, Kedamono, was speaking with her body.

- - -

But, things got much worse than just having a man trapped inside you, taking control without you even knowing it.

Of course, you'd never hear about this in a book that discussed the sacred Shikon Jewel. No one knew about the harsh end of the deal other than the protectors of the jewel. They were the only ones who were able to understand it.

They were the only ones who were able to understand that the Shikon No Tama carried an unmarked curse.

A curse wasn't placed on it when it was created. Midoriko didn't carry or create a curse. Kedamono didn't do anything, either. The curse of the Shikon Jewel rested with the power it carried.

If the jewel held no power, the curse would be stronger. If the jewel held no power, there would be no curse.

Everyone who had ever held the jewel died before the age of thirty. Was it merely a coincidence that everyone had short lives? No, it was not. The power that the jewel held fueled many people- demon and human alike -to seek it.

But how do you get the protector of something great to give it to you? You can't. The only way is to remove the protector and take the item before it passes on to the next protector.

That is what everyone did in the past. Jewel protectors lived short lives and had no friends simply because everyone was determined to get past them and get to the jewel itself.

And those who did befriend a protector ended up in their own perils. They would never understand the kind of stress that a miko had to go through in order to keep the jewel from falling into the wrong hands. They only knew a glimpse of the problems...

- - -

"Well... I'm sure that she wasn't really enjoying it, Sesshoumaru." Sango was doing her best to be sympathetic towards the demon. She watched as his face flushed with emotion, remembering the look of his face. She was sure that, after this whole thing was dealt with and blown over, he would go back to being emotionless.

"Well... If you think you saw her enjoying it, then why don't you talk to her?" Kikyou asked, stuffing a large spoonful of her brown concoction into her mouth. Sesshoumaru eyed the food she was eating. Wouldn't she get poisoned from eating something that disgusting? He could _smell _how horrible it would taste.

"Have you heard Kagome talk to anyone? She won't talk to anyone about what she thinks on Souta's, Ophielia's, and her grandfather's death..." Sesshoumaru replied. He slowly sunk his head into his hands, letting out a long, depressed sigh.

Why wouldn't she tell anyone what was going on?

"So, she's trying to appear emotionless... She's probably doing it in hopes that it'll make everything go away." Kikyou mumbled from behind her food.

"Gee. Who do you think gave her _that_ influence?" Sango questioned. She looked at Sesshoumaru, causing him to drop his head on the table. He didn't flinch, although the two girls did. Kikyou's place jumped up a bit, as well as her cup of soda. Sango watched the box of napkins do the same thing.

"Okay, I'm sorry for saying that... But, seriously, if you had been a little more open to her, do you think she'd be like this? I think she looked at you and saw that nothing ever _seemed_ to bother you. She wanted that, so she tried copying it." Sango didn't know how accurate that was, but she hoped it was close. That way, Sesshoumaru could at least get her to talk.

"So... Neither of you girls know anything about her wanting to have an affair with me or anything?" He asked cautiously. He stood up, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair he'd been occupying.

"Not a clue." Sango looked at Kikyou, who was shaking her head and scraping the last bits from her plate.

"Then I'm going home to speak with Kagome." Sesshoumaru said. He waved bye to the girls and put some money in Kikyou's hand. She looked up at him inquisitively.

"I worry for the health of you and your child with the stuff you eat. This will help with doctor bills." He said. Sango snickered as Sesshoumaru stalked out of the mall. Kikyou watched him leave until he was out the door. She stuffed the money in her pocket and looked at Sango.

"What's wrong with what I'm eating?" She asked curiously.

"Orange chicken, three flavors of ice cream, ranch dressing, olives, ketchup, mustard, and enough salt to preserve a dead body for three years..." Sango raised an eyebrow as Kikyou looked at her empty dish.

"Are you upset just because I didn't get the blue cheese dressing?" She questioned. "Would have been nice, I think..." She added. Sango rolled her eyes and shook her head. She had to agree with Sesshoumaru- there would be serious health problems in her future.

**O o O o O o O o O oO**

_Ignorance is bliss? I don't think so. Ignorance is just innocence that asks to be destroyed in the most violent way possible... I can't believe I thought things were over with. Happy endings are only in stories, not in real life. Especially mine... I wish that all these problems would just... go away... And take the Curse of the Shikon No Tama with them..._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Review Replies:  
**TurtleHugs-** Thank you for the wonderful things you said! I love hearing stuff like that from people... That sounds conceited, huh? Well, I'm glad that you like my story and I'm even more glad that I've made it to your favorites list!  
**raspberrysorbet-** Would you like to have a chance to help murder Naraku or Andrew? I'm not sure which one yet (as I clearly point out, I don't plan things since it ruins stories), but I can offer you a job in that if you'd like!  
**SesshysRedAngel-** I'm sorry that I confused you. But, yes, Kagome did see Andrew... Sorry, but it's so much easier using bad guys from the first one than having to make entirely new ones!  
**Veata-** I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who has to go back and see what's going on... And, if Sesshoumaru had gotten mad at me, I would have done almost the same thing as you. _Nice Sesshoumaru... I'm just going to leave now, okay Sesshoumaru? And... I'll come back when you're not angry... -Sesshoumaru snarls- Alright! I'm never coming back! Just don't **eat** me!_  
**lovelandkiss-** You're closest to knowing what happened... I think what you said is about all I've put together so far.  
**Kagome-chan88-** YOU USED TO LIVE IN REDDING! How did you do it? My sisters can do it, and it still shocks me, even though they came up a little over a year ago. The heat is just killing me. I think I'll be charbroiled by the time I travel back down south.  
**InterwovenEmotions-** Heh. I love getting your reviews, even though you've already read the chapter! And, no, it's not Kagome's subconscious... I'm still working on it...  
**Kira-Jayde-** Heh. Well, if you guys really are stalking Kagome so you can rape Sesshoumaru, give me time to figure out how the emotionless man will react to something like that. I don't know if he'd be traumatized or... emotionless as always... And you mentioned my horse in your chapter. Hmm...  
**YoukaiMei-** Yes, Kagome does need to get a clue. I'm sorry that things didn't go so well for your vacation. I wish I could help... But that would be creepy if I came out of your computer to help you. So, for now, I mourn... sorta... And thank you for the gifts. I think I need to document every thing you give me because it makes me laugh!  
**Inu15Kags-** You're right; Kagome wouldn't do that...

DON'T LET KIRA-JAYDE TAKE SESSHOUMARU FROM ME! THINGS WILL SMOOTH OUT, I PROMISE! BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM FROM ME UNTIL I'M DONE WITH THE STORY!

**Next Chapter:**_ I Missed You_  
Reviews Needed:** 120**

**- Lonely Bird**


	7. I Missed You

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
July 31st, 2006  
August 1st, 2006  
August 3rd, 2006

**This chapter is a bit longer to help make up for the last chapter being a bit short.**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Six: _I Missed You_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

The drive home had a detour to it. Sesshoumaru stopped by at a store to get milk and flowers, an odd combination, for sure. But the milk was for the fact that they had none in the fridge... At least not any that was unspoiled.

The flowers were a gift for Kagome. He was worried about her, and she seemed to be happy whenever he brought her flowers. Sesshoumaru let out a long sigh as he paid for the items and drove towards their apartment. A feeling that something bad was going to happen overcame him.

Naturally, he would have listened to that feeling. The last two times he had feelings or dreams of something being true, it turned out to be accurate. But now was not the time to be afraid of confronting his fiancé. If he didn't deal with the problems now, perhaps they would never be dealt with again.

That would cause one hell of an unhappy marriage.

Sesshoumaru parked the car and stepped out, holding the bag with the two cartons of milk in it. The flowers were in the same hand so he would be able to open the door.

Sesshoumaru walked in, closing the door behind him. He placed the milk in the fridge and began seeking Kagome. He wanted to present her with the flowers that he had bought her. But, as he stepped into the bedroom, he knew something was wrong.

Kagome didn't look like herself.

Literally.

There, sitting on his bed and carrying the vague scent of Kagome, was a demon. She- it -had blue hair and blue eyes. The outlines of her eyes were lined with red, confirming that this was a demon. Her mouth was open, revealing fangs that had possibilities to emit poison.

Sesshoumaru's sight drifted down as he dropped the flowers. She had crimson- the very color of blood -marks on the sides of her cheek, her neck, the backs of her hand, and her ankles... Almost like a tattoo of some sort. But Kagome couldn't have gotten that done so quickly.

Did that mean that this wasn't Kagome? Or was she merely possessed?

"Kagome...?" Sesshoumaru's voice was beginning to fail him. He wasn't sure if she heard it, until she whipped her head around to look at him. That was when he noticed that she had ears like him. She had demon ears. The jewel was in her forehead, halfway absorbed into her.

Sesshoumaru didn't know what was going on.

He was even more confused when Kagome shot out of bed. With demon speed, she appeared in front of him. His balance was thrown off and she took that opportunity to push him over. Within moments, she was straddling him, her hands to his throat.

She had claws, too.

This wasn't his Kagome. This wasn't her by a long shot.

"What are you doing?" Sesshoumaru attempted to push her off, but she was strong. It was hard to believe that she could have this much power unless... Everything pointed to the fact that Kagome was being possessed. She wasn't acting like herself, she didn't look like herself, and she didn't _smell_ like herself.

She smelled like she was over 1,000 years old. Okay, _Kagome_ didn't smell that way. The spirit that possessed her smelled like that.

"Welcome home. I missed you." Was the answer that the demon gave him. Sesshoumaru growled as the grasp around his neck tightened. He wasn't able to fight. Kagome's mind was inside her, even if she was being possessed.

What if she remembered what was going on and got mad at him for attacking?

He let all his muscles go limp in a sign of surrender. He wouldn't attack Kagome. He didn't want to even try attacking her. Seeing her- even though her face looked entirely different -made it impossible for him to even think of such a thing.

Slowly, she stood up. Sesshoumaru knelt up on his elbows but made no move to stand all the way. That would only cause the demon inside her to think of him as a threat.

Sesshoumaru watched as the look of pure anger vanished. It was as if Kagome's mind was in control once more. He didn't notice that her appearance remained the same. He just wanted to talk to _his_ Kagome, the _real_ Kagome, not an angry spirit's version of her.

And he truly believed he was.

"I'm moving into my mother's house. Don't come after me. I don't want to see you." She said. This time, it wasn't the demon's voice behind her words. It truly sounded like her.

Sesshoumaru watched with a broken heart as she left. What he believed to be the Kagome he loved had just left, saying that she never wanted to see him again. Sesshoumaru was unable to form anything intelligent in his mind. His heartbreak was quickly turned into rage as he stood up, dialing a number quickly.

_"Yes?"_ Inuyasha's voice drawled out from the other end of the phone.

"I want a sparring match. Right now." Sesshoumaru hissed through clenched teeth. Apparently, Inuyasha was able to sense his rage from the other end of the phone, because he heard him whimper.

_"Alright... You going to tell me what happened so I don't make the same mistake?" _He questioned. Sesshoumaru grunted in response then slammed the phone back into its cradle. He glanced around the apartment.

He loved Kagome. He truly did. But hearing _her_ voice say that she never wanted to see him again was ultimate heartbreak.

If only he had noticed the deeper tone that her voice carried. Then he would have known that Kedamono had still possessed her...

- - -

Kagome groaned in pain and rolled over on the bed. Her entire body hurt, like she had run a marathon then had heat stroke. She looked around, half expecting to see Sesshoumaru hovering over her and speaking to her- the other half of her expected to be in a hospital. After all, how could she be in this much pain and not be in the hospital?

Kagome wasn't in the apartment or in a hospital, though. She stared at the walls in shock. She was in her old bedroom, in the shrine house. Kagome shot up from bed and looked outside. It was dark outside, but there was a fresh blanket of snow.

The heater hadn't been on. What kept her from freezing?

Kagome pushed the thought away as she stood up on tired muscles. She walked around her room before going downstairs. The place felt so creepy with no one else living there. Grandfather was dead. So was Souta. And her mother had moved into a retirement home.

The house was depressing, she had claimed. Kagome believed her now that she was in the house on her own.

Kagome looked at the calendar, blinking. She had last looked at the calendar on the fourteenth, and today was the sixteenth. Kagome stared at the colander, struggling to remember what had happened.

_'That's right. On the fourteenth I was struggling with that Kea-mono in me...' _She thought. A detached part of her brain quickly corrected her.

**_'That's KEDAMONO. It is NOT Kea-mono.'_** It hissed quickly. Kagome's heart skipped a beat as she shook her head. The voice was still there. And last time, it had been able to take control of her. What happened? She had no idea what had happened when it took over.

She barely even had the memory of it taking over...

"Someone please help me clear this confusion." Kagome wished under her breath as she went to rummage through the fridge at her mother's house. As she opened up the empty fridge, she was reminded that no one was there to keep it full anymore.

The phone rang loudly, causing Kagome to scream and jump back. She placed a hand over her racing heart and approached the phone. She needed to work on not being scared so easily. Her 'nerves of steel' left a lot to be desired.

"Hello?" Kagome asked, stifling a yawn and a wince.

_"Kagome! Ohmygod! We finally got a hold of you! I was so worried that something happened to you! Especially since we saw Naraku walking around the wall casually! What's going on? Why'd you leave Sesshoumaru? Are you alright?" _All the questions that Sango was asking made Kagome's head buzz in pain.

"I'm fine... Can I talk to you and Kikyou? Perhaps at the mall?" She asked cautiously.

_"We'll have to meet at Kikyou's house. She's gotten to the point to where she's too far in pregnancy to go anywhere. Inuyasha will bite her head off for it." _Sango explained.

"Alright... Can you pick me up? I'm at my mother's house without a car... I need to talk to you a lot, since I'm really confused." Kagome mumbled. The phone on the other end clicked off. Kagome stared into the receiver of her phone, sighing. When would Sango _ever_ say bye to someone before she hung up?

Within moments, Sango was in front of the house, waiting for Kagome. Kagome didn't even give herself a glance in the mirror before she darted out the door. She needed help. She had missed an entire day of her life and woke up in the middle of another day.

"Kagome... If you don't mind me saying this... You look like shit." Sango commented. Kagome glanced at her, not sure what she should say in reaction. She was glad that her friend was so honest and open with her... But wasn't that a little TOO honest and open?

"I know... I'm so confused, I need to talk to you guys and figure out what what's going on." Kagome said, tears welling in her eyes.

"Are you actually upset over Sesshoumaru? He said that you were pretty firm in your decision..." Sango trailed off. Kagome snapped her head at her fast enough to give herself whiplash.

_"What!"_ She asked in a sharp note. Sango winced.

"Well... Two days ago, you told Sesshoumaru that you never wanted to see him again. You left your engagement ring behind. We all assumed that you two were breaking up..." Sango trailed off. Kagome didn't sound like she was aware of the break-up. That was... most definitely strange.

"Why would I break up with him! I _love_ him, Sango!" Kagome hissed. Sango winced and pulled into Kikyou's driveway, cutting off the engine and pulling the emergency break to keep the car from rolling away. Sango stepped out of the car with Kagome following quickly.

No way was she going to let Sango weasel out of the question she had asked. Kagome followed Sango up the path and waited impatiently as Sango knocked on Kikyou's door. Neither of the girls noticed Kikyou open the door.

"I don't know why you did it, Kagome. No one does. Sesshoumaru told us about it, asking us again if you had ever hinted at being unhappy with him. It was one thing to see you getting your sexual fix from someone else. But having you leave him when he was already on edge about whether or not you loved him... That just broke his heart." Sango explained.

"For a demon- an emotionless one, even -I've never seen a harsh reaction about something like that... I'm not sure that Inuyasha would have reacted like that!" Kikyou snapped. Kagome looked at her, slowly becoming dizzy. Was it confusion or Kedamono that was causing it?

Kagome walked into Kikyou's house and went strait to her couch. She fell against the couch like she was unable to stand on her own. And, to Kagome, that's how it fell.

"Can you guys tell me what's going on? Why are you lying like this? Why are you guys saying that I broke up with Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, tears filling her eyes.

"You did. You tackled him when he came in the door two days ago. You were going to strangle him, but he couldn't push you off. He wasn't willing to hurt you." Kikyou began.

"And when you finally did get off of him, you told him that you were moving into your mother's house and that you didn't want to be followed. You said you never wanted to see him again." Sango finished.

"I... I still don't remember anything..." Kagome murmured. She dropped her head into her hands and didn't hold back her tears any longer. Her shoulders shook with the silent cries she formed, and only the occasional sniff could confirm that she was crying.

Sango and Kikyou looked at each other in confusion. Kagome had broken up with Sesshoumaru... But she had no memory on it? She seemed like she didn't even know about it until today. And then she began crying... Was it possible that she really had no memory of such a thing?

Inside Kagome's mind, there was a battle going on. A battle for memories and a battle to figure out what had happened two days ago.

_"Kagome..." _Kedamono's voice called to her. It sounded enticing- it sounded like an offer. Drop everything she was doing now and let him have control of her body. Let her mind fade from the world and into oblivion while he took control.

**_"I want to know what happened... You're the only thing that causes me not to remember. Whenever you're in control, I don't remember things. Tell me what you did!" _**Kagome hissed into her own mind. It grew silent, as if Kedamono was simply thinking.

_"It is true. I did attack Sesshoumaru. I let my appearances soften so I would resemble you. Then I stopped choking him and told him to never come after you again."_ Kedamono explained. More tears spilled from Kagome's eyes.

_"You should have seen the hurt that went through his face, scent... Everything about him reeked of hurt."_ Kedamono was just bragging now. But why would someone who was supposed to be protecting the jewel be bragging about something so horrible?

Kagome didn't realize that he knew what she was thinking when she wasn't speaking to him. He had an answer for her question and was going to give it to her.

_"I'm a demon. Demons are the epitome of all things evil- sin, sex, murder... and sadism. I cannot help the fact that being a mere spirit for so long has kept me from holding my evil at bay. I had to see him hurting..."_

_**"Then why do you protect the jewel?"**_

_"You want to know why? I loved- and still do after thousands of years, -the girl who made it. I loved her dearly, but she was always fighting demons. She was too busy for us to start a relationship. I understood that. So, I never did anything..._

_"But when she created the jewel- putting her own soul inside of it. I was thinking of her. My soul was dragged to the jewel as well. But since I was not going to fight her and I had no miko powers to aid her, I was forced to become the protector. To make sure that no one was able to take the jewel and use it unwisely."_ Kedamono's voice filled with the anger that had been in him for centuries upon centuries- the anger that had yet to even be seen.

"Kagome?" Sango's voice cut in through Kagome's mental conversation. Kagome slowly looked up at her- her tears being dry at that point.

"Hmm?"

"Kagome... You were spacing out for... for about forty minutes, I think. Is there something you want to tell us?" Sango questioned. Kagome shot up off the couch, instantly regretting it. She stood in a daze, waiting for the excess blood to drain from her head and for her vision to stop being black.

Finally, she turned to Sango.

"Find all the books you can about the Shikon jewel and its protector." Kagome said hastily.

"There were a lot of protectors, Kagome..." Kikyou whined.

"Oh... Yeah... Right... Find all the information on the Shikon jewel, Midoriko, Kedamono... Things that seem to relate to the jewel." Kagome said, heading for the door.

"Don't you want lunch?" Sango asked curiously.

"No! I need to talk to Sesshoumaru!" Kagome said, smiling. And, with that, she was out the door.

- - -

Sesshoumaru growled ferally as someone opened the front door to the apartment. His claws dug into the bed as he let out a sadistic smirk. Whoever decided to steal from his house was going to regret it.

Right now, Sesshoumaru was in pain. And right now, he would love nothing more than to see someone else in as much pain as he was in. When someone opened the door to the bedroom, he whipped his head around to see the intruder.

Kagome stood there, uncomfortable under Sesshoumaru's angry gaze. After a while, she stepped towards him. Each step seemed to take all of her willpower and strength. By the time she had gotten to the bed, she was exhausted. With no way to hold herself up, she sat down beside Sesshoumaru.

A few moments of uncomfortable and tense silence passed between the two before one of them broke it.

"What are you doing here? I clearly remember that you said you never wanted to see me again." Sesshoumaru's voice was low and angry. Kagome shivered; she hated knowing that he was mad at her. She hated it the same way children hated knowing that they had upset their parents.

"I... I need to talk to you." Kagome's voice seemed small and hesitant. Sesshoumaru was intimidating. But it was even worse when he was angry.

Sesshoumaru grunted. Finally, Kagome couldn't handle sitting next to him. She stood up, pacing a few steps in one direction before doing the same in the other direction.

"I came here to explain what happened to you." Kagome began.

"There's nothing needed to explain. You left me for whatever man was fucking you a few days ago!" Sesshoumaru roared. Kagome winced, but her pain was short-lived as his words began to settle in.

A man? With her? Nonsense; she hadn't had a man sleep with her since Andrew had raped her last.

"What man? I never slept with anyone!" Sesshoumaru stood up, his eyes beginning to burn into a demon red.

"Don't lie to me! I saw him pushing himself inside of you and you _**moaning**_. I _**know**_ that you're having an affair!" He roared. A mixture of pain and anger flashed through Kagome's eyes. The pain left, but the anger stayed.

"I didn't sleep with anyone! That last man that ever did such things to me was Andrew! That was two years ago!" Kagome hissed.

"And Andrew is dead." Sesshoumaru mumbled.

"Actually... He's not..." Sesshoumaru's gaze snapped up to look at her, anger showing through his emotionless mask like it wasn't even there. "I didn't come here to talk about that... Not yet... I need to talk to you about what happened..." She trailed off. A few moments of silence passed before she took the chance to continue speaking.

"You remember when we... supposedly fought Andrew and Naraku... I changed into a demon-like thing..." Sesshoumaru gave a nod. "Well... That is actually the result of someone's soul being trapped inside of me..." The demon sitting before Kagome just stared. What in the world was that supposed to mean?

"I don't know exactly how it happened, but I'm sure he'll tell me. His name is Ketamana-- Kedamono! And. Well... It's his job to help protect the jewel. I've never had a problem with letting him out before. It's like he would wait patiently for me to let him take control...

"But he's been taking control of me recently, and there's nothing I can do about it... From what I can get from him, he takes control of the jewel's protectors because they aren't doing things the way he wants. After going from one body to another, he develops his own desires that he can't get fulfilled.

"So... He controlled my body. I have no memories of what happened. I really don't. I only found out today when Sango and Kikyou were talking to me about it." Kagome stopped and looked at Sesshoumaru for a reaction. His eyes were void of any emotion. Typical.

"Then explain you writhing and moaning when a man was fucking you." The hurt and pain in his voice had died down considerably.

"I don't know... I can only assume that Ketaman-- Kedamono! I can only assume that **Kedamono** was in control of me... Whenever I can't remember something, it seems that he took control of my body." Kagome explained.

"I see... Do you want to live at your mother's old home?" He asked, looking up at her.

"It's where I've lived since I can remember... But not without you." Kagome shuffled her feet nervously.

"Then we'll move there. You can go tell your mother that we'll start making payments to her. It'll be better than this apartment." He gave her a nod and a small smile. Kagome couldn't help it anymore. She grinned and hugged Sesshoumaru as tightly as she could.

"That you so much! Thank you, Sesshoumaru!" Kagome broke the hug after a few moments to fulfill Sesshoumaru's desires.

- - -

Kagome walked towards the retirement home. It was where her mother had insisted on living after grandfather had died. Her mother wasn't _that_ old, but she always said she was going to die soon... With the vibe that the place gave off, Kagome had to agree.

Kagome was only a block away- halfway there from the apartment -when something caught her attention. Someone was following her. Rather than try to pretend that there was no one, she spun around sharply and came face-to-face with her worst nightmare.

"I missed you." Was all she could hear him saying. If he said anything else, she was in too much shock to notice.

**O o O o O o O o O oO**

_I'm sorry that I can't be perfect. I'm sorry that I made another mistake. I'm sorry that something hurt you. I'm sorry that your heart had to break. But, out of all the things I could be sorry for... I'm sorry for having to say that I'm not allowed to love you anymore..._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Changed the phrase above... I think it'll be from a poem that Kagome wrote. I had a poem rhythm stuck in my head as I wrote it...

Review Replies:  
**Kagome-chan88-** Yeah, I believe you. Summers are miserable here. But this summer (could it be coincidence that it's the one I'll be here for two weeks... ?) is, supposedly, the worst it's been in quite a few years (was it seven? ten?)  
**GravityGrave-** Guess it wasn't as obvious as I thought it was... I don't know whether or not he's a virgin. I haven't gotten that far... Have you ever noticed that you don't hear of virgin a lot? Sesshoumaru saw Andrew raping Kagome when she blacked out. And, technically, **Kagome** wasn't enjoying it. **Kedamono **was enjoying it. That help clear things up?  
**Veata-** Yeah... I'm curious what causes pregnant women to want revolting food like that... Ew. Pickles and whipped cream... Blech!  
**InterwovenEmotions-** Aww! Am I really cool! That makes me so happy! And... I had something else planned out, but I changed it for my own sanity. I was barely able to remember how it went. So... Yeah...  
**YoukaiMei- **About the food that Kikyou eats... I try to think of the nastiest combination (Mustard and Ketchup) and try to think of something everyone likes (Ice Cream). I combine it and- tadaa! Disgusting food! The foods change for each meal she eats. And I'm sorry for not having Miroku in there. I'll try to have something with him in it verrrry soon. (Perhaps with him groping someone?)

**I may not be writing for a while because YoukaiMei has given me a gift. Scenes of Inuyasha with the outtakes and bloopers... Plus a few other things... Okay, just kidding. The REAL reason I won't be on for a while is because life is going to kick up again. I am going to start school August 30th, and I am getting really worried. That means I'm going to start getting sick soon, and I won't be able to touch a computer while I'm sick. So... Any delayed updates are due to my worry or the fact that I've started school... Just a warning in advance.**

**Next Chapter:**_ Vow Of Silence_  
Reviews Needed:** 135**

**- Lonely Bird**


	8. Vow of Silence

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
August 3rd, 2006  
August 13th, 2006  
August 16th, 2006

**Wow. Large gap between the writing dates, ne? Well, I was holding back because I didn't want to get too far ahead of readers. But... Since I know there are no more reviews coming in, I will update and that means I'm no longer ahead!**

**Long, pointless babble...**

**I would have posted the chapter sooner... But I was working on the title for the next chapter. I'm drawing blanks on possibilities for a title...**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Seven: _Vow Of Silence_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

"What do you want?" Kagome's voice was calm, irritated, and retrained. She wouldn't make a scene in public. No, that was the last thing that she needed- people seeing her and this **bastard** yelling at each other.

"I missed you. I wanted to talk to you. No sex, this time. I promise." Andrew's voice was smooth- as if his attempts to seduce her would work. Kagome bit her lip and looked at the retirement home that was a block away. She couldn't outrun a demon unless Kedamono took control. If he did, he'd probably castrate Andrew right there.

Kagome knew that she was bargaining with the devil, but she had nothing else to do. If she refused, he'd start hurting her and raping her again. That was the last thing that she wanted.

"Fine. But we're doing it here. I don't trust you." Kagome walked over to a bench for the bus and sat down. Andrew followed, sitting down next to her. Even after two years and five accounts of rape- maybe six -her body was still growing tense around him.

And she was pretty sure he could sense it.

"Here's the deal. Sesshoumaru, your mother, you, your friends... Naraku and I will let everyone live. All you have to do is do what we ask you to do.** Everything** we ask you to do. If not, both he and I will see to it that you never have anyone close to you again." Andrew's voice was harsh and cold. He meant business, no doubt.

Kagome was tempted to let Kedamono bring hell upon the two of the guys. But having blood on her fingers when Kedamono had done his work was enough to keep her from doing that.

The thought of having everyone around her die was one thing. But she was sure that the two bastards would do it in front of her. She was sure that she would have to see the look of pain in their eyes as their life was being stripped from them.

As she mulled it around in her head, she let out a sigh of defeat. She couldn't handle the images in her head. If it actually happened, it would be so much worse. Kagome dropped her head into her hands and sighed.

"Fine... You have to respect my wishes. If you don't, I'll wish on the jewel; destroying its power." Kagome was glad that she had some form of a bargaining chip. Andrew grunted in disapproval- he obviously hadn't planned her to come back with a deal of her own.

"Agreed. We'll call your cell phone if we need you. Your first order is to move out of living with Sesshoumaru. You two must live in different houses. You can't tell him or anyone about this deal. Or else whoever you tell will die with you there to watch." Andrew hissed. Kagome winced and slowly nodded.

As he left, Kagome began to sob. What had she done? She had made a deal with the devil himself. And now... She couldn't be with Sesshoumaru and she couldn't tell him why. She had to be completely silent about it. Silent...

Perhaps she'd just stop talking. She'd pretend that she was having some problems and have someone suggest that she should go to a mental institution until she was better. That could work...

But her heart would break painfully... What was she going to do?

Kagome looked towards the retirement home. She couldn't go see her mother now. She couldn't see anyone. No one was allowed to know of what was going on. And if someone saw her crying... They would ask her what was wrong until she finally got to telling them.

And that would only bring on more pain...

Kagome fingered the jewel as she stood up on shaky and unsure legs. Slowly, she began to walk towards the apartment. She'd have to tell Sesshoumaru what was happening. She would have to, at least, tell him that she had to move out. She would tell him that she loved him and that she still wanted to get married to him...

But that other _things_ were in the way. And she'd leave... Hopefully she would be able to form some kind of hint so he could help her... She'd give hints to Sango and Kikyou to give to him! That would work! Things that only he would understand.

Or, more simply, things that Andrew and Naraku wouldn't understand if they happened to come across the notes.

Kagome looked around as she stood in front of the apartment door. She hadn't realized that she was already there. And her feet weren't moving. Did that mean that she had been there for a while? How long? Why didn't she realize this?

Perhaps spacing out was the source of the problems... No, that wasn't right. The jewel and the negative attention it brought was the source of her problems.

Kagome reached out and opened the door slowly. She was afraid. She had just made things better with her and Sesshoumaru... And Now... She had to tell him that she wasn't allowed to see him. She couldn't tell him why and she couldn't talk to him to show that she still loved him. She had to back off from him completely.

Kagome could see the surprise that was faintly etched into Sesshoumaru's eyes when he looked at her. There was no way she could have spoken with her mother within the time she left. And he was right- she couldn't speak to her mother. Not in the condition she was in right now. Not with how horribly things were going.

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to speak, but Kagome was quick to speak first.

"I have bad news... I can't say too much, because... _Things_ will happen. But I have to leave. I'll be in my mother's house. I... I don't want to go, but I have to. I can't tell you why, even though I want to... Just know that I love you and I... I'm doing this..." Kagome's voice hitched in her throat and refused to work.

Of all times for her to fall silent... Why now?

"I don't understand... What's going on?" Sesshoumaru stood up. The worry that she was going to leave him for someone else was beginning to show in more places than his eyes. His face... and even his entire body posture. He was nervous, unsure, and- most of all -scared of the heartbreak that was ready to hit him.

"Just... Listen to me." Kagome took a deep breath, silently willing herself to get these few words out. All she had to do was say these things and leave.

"I love you, and I will always love you. Don't forget that. I don't want to hurt you. What I am going to do is not my choice. I'm doing it to protect you and everyone else that I care for. Your lives are more important than my heart." Kagome paused as Sesshoumaru stared at her. He seemed to understand this much easier.

But that didn't mean it was any easier to do.

"But, as much as I love you and want to stay with you... I just can't. I can't say why, because someone will hurt your and the rest of my friends... So... I have to leave..." There were tears falling from her eyes now. Had her eyes even watered? She couldn't remember. She couldn't focus on anything other than the sound of her heart breaking.

And the sound made it hurt that much more.

Kagome took a step forward. She had to get something from Sesshoumaru before she left. A sign that he wasn't angry at her- just a simple hug or kiss. But her feet stopped moving as she looked away. If she did that, it would be much harder for her to leave. If she did that, she might just spill out her entire heart to him.

With one last look at her prince, she turned and left. Her footsteps sounded heavy- like she was dropping a bag of bricks with each step. Even though she was running, she felt immobile. Paralyzed, even. Her body wanted to ignore what she had to do. Her felt like it was fighting the decision she had made.

And her mind was, too. Her mind was fighting against her decision. If all of her was against it, how was it possible that they hadn't changed her mind? An image of Sesshoumaru- as strong as he was -held back by chains he couldn't break and covered in wounds he couldn't heal.

It was too much for her. She ran further away from the nightmare and closer to the home she had grown up in. The home that had seemed so empty that morning now seemed like it would be the most comforting place right now. Kagome just wanted to fall asleep and never wake up. Or, perhaps, she just wanted to wake up... Just wake up and realize that this had all been some twisted nightmare.

Her theory of it being a nightmare was quickly shattered as she ran into something hard. And rough. She stumbled to the ground, looking up at the God tree in confusion. She hadn't even realized that she went up the shrine stairs, let alone towards the God tree. _'That's what I get for not paying attention. God, Kagome! Could you be any stupider!'_ Her mind scolded her.

Kagome glanced around the shrine, but her vision was becoming blurry. Was it from the tears or from the collision with the tree? She didn't know, and at that moment, she didn't care to give it more thought. She struggled to her feet, walking numbly into the house.

She knew where everything was. So, on her way to her room, she wasn't paying attention to the black that invaded her vision. She wasn't aware that there was no longer the sound of her footsteps on the stairs. She didn't even take notice of the strong scent of spices and perfumes that had eaten at her.

The only think she knew is that scratching the itch on her chin should _not_ have caused her pain. And the warm liquid that was traveling down her chin and neck... That wasn't supposed to be there.

Something was definitely amiss.

- - -

"What do you mean that she won a side of the bargain?" He couldn't help the shriek that had slipped into his voice. So much for his casual aura- right now, he had lost it and gained his temper.

"I couldn't argue. If she wishes on it, then we'll lose everything we've been trying to get." Andrew's voice was calmer, although stressed. He had never experienced Naraku's anger and wasn't enjoying the first time.

"Then you should have taken the jewel from her!" Naraku stood up, his chair falling backwards from the forceful shove his legs had given it. He glared hard at Andrew, as if he could possibly change the facts.

"I don't appreciate having miko powers burning though my skin." Andrew's voice was low and level, the anger burning through each and every word. "Now, I know you are a lowly mutt- a half demon. Her miko powers will hardly hurt you. But they can **kill** me. They can kill me just like you using your demon powers for a few hours.

"Miko powers exhaust my demon powers enough to make them disintegrate. If you stayed a demon for a few hours, your demon abilities would be exhausted and worn out because it's not possible for you to stay that way. Just like it's not possible for the dark to withstand the light." Andrew barked.

Naraku rolled his eyes, ignoring the words that had just been spoken. He didn't care for Andrew's well being. He just wanted the jewel and now, he wanted Andrew's death.

"Fine. You are fired. I will not pay you for any of the work you have done so far. You also better watch your back. If you get near Kagome, I will have to end your life. If you touch the jewel, then I will be sure that you pay for it. I may be a half demon, but I have no doubt that I can overpower you." Naraku roared. Andrew vanished, only to appear moments later in Naraku's face. With speed that even Naraku couldn't see, he slashed his arm and was gone again.

Andrew ran, trying to figure out where Kagome had gone. But it was no use; she must have masked her scent. Either that, or the miko powers he had stolen from Souta dulled his senses. After all, it was hard to smell a miko _before_ that...

There had been a division of power. And now it was a race to see who could get to the jewel and its protector first. Whoever was able to survive long enough were to have it. Only, Andrew had no care for the jewel. What did he want?

All he wanted was to upset each and every one of Naraku's plans. He knew them all; so it would be easy...

**O o O o O o O o O oO**

_I'm sorry that I can't be perfect. I'm sorry that I made another mistake. I'm sorry that something hurt you. I'm sorry that your heart had to break. But, out of all the things I could be sorry for... I'm sorry for having to say that I'm not allowed to love you anymore..._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Review Replies:  
**Inu15kags-** Didn't I say this? The miko that Kedamono fell for is the same miko that created the Shikon Jewel. I have hardly seen any episodes, but one of the ones I saw said that Midoriko was responsible for creating the jewel. I think I remember hearing that her should was trapped in it with her... But that could just be me.  
**Black Juju-** Surprisingly enough, no. Your review didn't upset me, although most reviews that are correcting (and saying how bad things were) upset me; yours didn't. But, yes, I agree that last chapter wasn't nearly as good as it could have been. And I will try to make sure I don't leave out details next time. Thank you for your review, though!  
**Kagome Assassinater-** Thank you so much! I'm glad that you enjoy my writing as much as you do. You honestly have no idea how happy your kind words have made me! (Let's just say that the people in the office are staring at me like I've never smiled and made strange noises before.)  
**Veata- **Heh. Hey, I've been _dying _to play with a jump rope again... So I know that you're talking about. But, be careful... The problems are about to pile on and... This time... I won't give you guys such a happy ending... Maybe...  
**Miealie Faradae-** You really like my stories? Thank you so much! It honors me what you would like them so much...

**Next Chapter:**_ Upset and Disturbed_  
Reviews Needed:** 150**

**- Lonely Bird**


	9. Upset and Disturbed

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
August 23rd, 2006  
August 29th, 2006

**School starts tomorrow. Crap. My lovely days of being able to do NOTHING are coming to an end. In fact, as I type this, I am in horror that I only have nine hours of freedom. Once I hit the sack (at nine tonight), I will have to wake up and act like an adult again, or a kid. I'm still deciding which.**

**The story is almost to the point where I just want to hurry up and finish it. In fact, as soon as I hit chapter 10, I believe I'm going to rush to end it. Expect ten or eleven chapters. I'm in a hurry, now. And, I warn you, this will have a bittersweet ending Or, I want it to be that way, which would be sad and happy at the same time. Ooooh... I just got more ideas. Gotta use them, too. Okay, perhaps this will be 12 or 13 chapters. (I know I'm indecisive)**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Eight: _Upset and Disturbed_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

Sango groaned as someone knocked on the door. Thankfully, they hadn't ringed the doorbell. If they had, the two kids would have woken up and she wouldn't put that kind of hell on _their_ shoulders. She slowly stood up, approaching the door slowly. If they were in a hurry, then she would be sure to slow them down.

She smiled at the sound of rain. It was becoming steadily louder as she approached the front door. She opened the door, almost dropping her jaw on the floor in the process. The person that had bothered to darken her doorstep was one that she didn't want to see, the one that she wasn't prepared to see.

"What are you doing here?" She found herself asking. Andrew pushed himself inside and began attempting to dry himself off. The rain outside hadn't let him get by without a few tons of water. Sango stared at him, her mouth still agape and the door still open. Andrew stared at her for a while, his eye beginning to twitch.

"Will you stop staring at me! Just close the door and sit!" He snapped. Sango wasted no time in doing so. After all, if a rapist just casually walked into your home, what would you do? _'Just listen to him and pray that he takes mercy on you...'_ Sango murmured in her thoughts. She took a cautious seat on her couch, her hands folded tentatively in her lap.

"Where's Kagome?" Andrew asked, breathing hard and fast. Sure, he was a demon, but rain was one of the few things that could exhaust him of his powers quicker than normal. Sango's face twisted in emotion before she lost her calm resolve.

"Who do you think you are? You can't walk into my house and ask me where Kagome is! I know what you've done to her! Why on Earth would I care to share that information with you!" She asked rudely. He growled, kneeling down beside her.

"Because someone is going to kill her. It's not me. The person who just fired me wants to get to her. He wants to kill her, to take the jewel from her... To make her suffer. I want to protect her so he won't be able to." Andrew couldn't believe that he had openly said all that. But, if it would lead him to Kagome's location, then he could reveal more.

After all, what was there for him to hide now?

"And you think I'd believe you? You're funny." Sango snapped rudely. Andrew couldn't suppress the violent growl that had suddenly erupted from his throat. Sango jumped back, the scent of fear overwhelming Andrew's senses. Slowly, his growl subsided and he straightened up.

"What would it take for you to believe me?" He asked curiously. Sango raised an eyebrow, biting her lip. She honestly didn't know what it would take. She wasn't sure if she would ever believe him. The dull 'thud' coming from the master bedroom distracted her. Soon, Miroku emerged, rubbing his head.

"Sango, I got called into work... I'll..." His sentence was forgotten as he looked at Andrew standing before him. His eyes darted from Sango to Andrew. He knew that she wouldn't cheat on him. She had standards set for him- why would she not go by those same standards? Slowly, Miroku's voice found him again. "Who's this?"

Sango cleared her throat, but Andrew cut her off. "My name is Andrew. I came to ask of Kagome's location. I'm concerned about her well-being right now, seeing as there is someone seeking her death." Miroku shot a quick glance to Sango, catching the look of 'Please-Shut-Up' in the process.

"Isn't Andrew...?"Miroku trailed off as Sango started nodding rapidly, answering his unspoken question.

"You two may come with me if you desire. Or the monk can place a spell on me to keep me from harming her." Andrew grinned at the shocked face on Miroku. "Oh, yes. I know things. It's the advantage and disadvantage to my one-eye blindness." He smiled in, what he hoped, was a reassuring way.

"Well..." Miroku bit his lip and looked at Sango.

- - -

It hadn't rained in a while. It was as if something was holding back for years. Kagome looked out her bedroom window with reddened eyes. The last time it had rained... She had been a little girl, still innocent and fresh to the country. She would have been happy and trying to learn English properly.

When it rained, her grandfather had initially gotten upset. He had started complaining that he couldn't do tours or tell stories during the rain. Tourists wouldn't come. The parents of children would worry for their health and keep them inside. Kagome couldn't help but smile at the memories of her old life. Life before she knew what a huge responsibility she had to carry.

After it had rained for two days, her mother was complaining that the plants had been destroyed. They had too much water and were drowning. But the God tree... That was something else. The two days of constant rain had given it an extra something and it had bloomed. Kagome's grandfather said that it bloomed very rarely. Old trees shouldn't bloom quickly, he'd always say.

That was so long ago. Ten years? Perhaps sometime less than that. Back home- in Japan -Kagome would have thought a drought occurred. But, in America, there was no difference in how much water she was able to use. It was strange how the distance had changed the perspective of her and those around her.

A raindrop hit Kagome's eye. Kagome reflexively jerked her head away from the window, blinking a time or two to get the excess water spread out. She looked around the room, her eyes traveling from her bed to the door to the dresser, where they finally rested on one object.

She loved the idea of having a single wish to make your dreams come true. She loved that idea as much as the next person did. But she had to keep other people from having it. She had to keep others from taking their selfish desires and wishing upon them. That was hard. Anyone who went after it had enough strength and determination to give her a run for her money...

Kagome angrily swatted the jewel off of her desk. _''That stupid pink marble! Why did I have to be the one to protect it? I would have been just as happy without any powers and having an ordinary life!' _Kagome thought angrily. She watched in satisfaction as the jewel bounced off the walls a few times. Finally, it rested in the center of her room.

Kagome walked over to the jewel, using her thumb and middle finger to flick it against the wall repeatedly. Inside of her, she could feel Kedamono stirring. It felt like he had just woken up. Of course, he was awake just as long as she was. Perhaps it was his anger that had been awakened.

**_'Don't you dare call that jewel stupid. That jewel holds the soul of my beloved Midoriko. You curse it, and I will erase the concealing spell you have on the jewel.'_** Kedamono's voice hissed throughout her head. Kagome shivered and looked at the jewel as it rebounded off the wall and rolled back to her. Suddenly, something came to mind.

"What was she like? Midoriko, I mean..." Kagome spoke out loud, knowing that Kedamono would hear her and respond. Not like anyone was around to think that she had lost her mind. Speaking of losing her mind... Everything had suddenly fallen silent inside of her. Had she caught Kedamono off guard with that question?

**_'Midoriko... She was powerful and beautiful. Her eyes... They always looked sad and tired, but that was merely because she was a solemn person. She didn't do anything unless she saw the need for it to be done. She valued the life of a few complete strangers above her own...'_** Kedamono's voice was softer now. Of course, almost everything sounded the same when it was echoing through her head.

"You still love her..." It was a question, not a statement. Kagome didn't receive an answer, but the warmth that suddenly filled her heart implied that he did.

"What would happen if someone wished on the jewel?" Kagome found herself asking. Not like she would wish on it, of course.

_**'If it is a wish of dark or selfish nature, then Midoriko will lose the battle. The demon and its minions will win, causing the world to be thrown into chaos. I have seen images of it. That is what spurs me on to keep people from using it... But... If a wish of light or selfless nature is made on it... Midoriko will win the battle. The jewel will lose its powers, and the two of us will finally be able to pass out of this world.'**_

Kagome smiled, stopping and looking at the small pink jewel. The beast inside of her loved the woman who had created the jewel. He wanted to protect her- to help the battle she had been fighting for so long. Keeping the jewel safe from the darkest of demons was the least he could do. And, silently, Kagome developed a new type of respect for the two of them. For Kedamono and Midoriko.

Kagome put the jewel back around her neck where it belonged- on the necklace that hung around her neck. She stood up and raised her arms above her head in attempt to stretch. However, the sudden sound of the doorbell started her. She took one last glance at the rain-filled sky and walked to the front door. As soon as it was open, her body froze up and her heart slowed down.

"Kagome..." Sango grasped her heart, exhausted from trying to keep up with Andrew the entire way. Miroku was behind her, breathing hard- but not hard enough to need to breathe through his mouth. Beside him stood Andrew. His eyes had changed appearance.

Kagome didn't know if she should be scared, angry, or joyous at the fact that they were here. She was scared of Andrew- not like she would willingly let him know it. She was angry at him for all he had done. He had broken her heart and spirit. He had forced her to break the heart of the man she loved.

"Why... Why did you two bring him here? Why did you let him through the barrier I had placed?" Kagome asked, her voice quivering as Andrew stepped in. Miroku followed, helping Sango as she attempted to control her breathing.

"Because I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to keep Naraku from killing you." Andrew said, acting as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Kagome glared at him as harshly as she could. He had just forced her to move away from Sesshoumaru and now he was saying that he was on her side?

"If you're on my side of this battle, then let me see Sesshoumaru." She hissed. Naraku shook his head rapidly.

"You don't want to do that. Naraku has poison chambers all around this place. They go off if a full demon enters." Andrew explained. Sango and Miroku looked at each other, then at Andrew.

"Then why haven't they gone off?" Sango questioned.

"Because I'm not entirely demon. When I had taken Souta's powers, I lost some of my demon edge and got some miko to me. I'm most demon and part miko; not full demon." He explained. Kagome's eyes began to tear up. Andrew didn't know why, but a searing pain shot through him suddenly. What was it from?

Once you went from the side that killed for pleasure to the side that was losing, you quickly developed a conscious. And his was now starting to chide him on everything that he had done. But the things that stuck out the most were the things that he had done to Kagome and the ones she loved.

Without thinking, Andrew leaned forward, hugging Kagome. He knew that she didn't want to be touched by him. He knew exactly why her body tensed up immediately. And he knew why she was avoiding having most parts of his anatomy touch her. That only rubbed salt into the newfound wound.

In attempt to reassure Kagome that he didn't have bad intentions, he kept his hands around her shoulders. After a few moments, he pulled away and glanced at the other two. No one was quite sure what to believe. Miroku seemed confident that Andrew wouldn't harm Kagome again. Sango and Kagome were both wary of him.

"It'll take us a while to deactivate the traps with poison in them. We should get started now that way Sesshoumaru can come over. Once he's around, I'll leave. I just want to make sure that you have a demon to protect you..." Andrew's voice was low, as if thinking. The poison traps were hidden in so many places, he wasn't sure if he could remember.

"How long will it take us to get rid of the poison?" Kagome meekly asked.

"At least a few days. There are a lot of them and they are very sensitive. One trap, alone, might take several hours to deactivate. Then we'll have to remove it. If the others go off, then that one- even if deactivated -can go off as well." Andrew explained.

"Let's get started." Miroku's voice left no room for arguments. They were going to get this done as soon as possible and finish things up.

- - -

Naraku hissed as Kanna's mirror failed to show anything to him once more. Why wouldn't it work? He stood up and began walking around, anger coursing through his body and lacing itself with his scent. He couldn't believe that Andrew had gotten there that fast. Andrew didn't know where the house was. The heavy rain had washed out the scent- even though Andrew's sense of smell wasn't the best anyway.

So how'd he get there?

No doubt, he was telling them to move out. That would be stupid. If Kagome left, the poison traps on the room would go off. They were set up to detect her aura- not one of a demon. Andrew hadn't been around when those had been set up. Or had he? It was hard to remember what he helped with nowadays.

Perhaps he would call Sesshoumaru and try to turn him against the woman he loved. The idea sounded nice- like the bad ending to a fairy tale. But he knew that damn dog would never go against Kagome. As much as dog-demons got angry with those who broke their heart, he knew that Sesshoumaru never got mad unless he deemed it necessary.

_'Damn his intelligence. So much like his father.'_ Naraku's mind hissed. He looked at Kanna's mirror once again, in hopes of being able to see what was going on in that damn house. Or what Andrew was doing. The image started appearing through the fog, but the fog engulfed the entire image before he could see anything.

"Kanna, why does the haze remain over my vision?" Naraku asked in a sneer. Kanna didn't flinch, but spoke. Her voice was also drowned out by the sounds of silence.

"I do not know, master." Her voice soon faded out and her eyes looked down at her mirror. Naraku growled and looked at the door. Kagura came from the other side, sighing and looking at him in hatred. Oh, how she desired to go against Naraku. But as long as she was a product of him, there was nothing she could do.

"Kagura, explain why I can't see anything in Kanna's mirror." Naraku commanded. Kagura nodded, walking over to the mirror and looking as the same thing happened once more.

_'Too spoiled to figure it out himself, most likely.'_ She thought in angst.

"Miko powers. It's a barrier that will rebound anything that tries to enter. Including your vision." Kagura murmured.

"Kagome is smarter than I've given her credit for." Naraku hissed, throwing something out the window and shattering the delicate glass.

**O o O o O o O o O oO**

_I can't go on like this. I can't go on trying to protect the jewel from all the bad people. There are times I think of giving up. Perhaps I'll give up the jewel. Or maybe I'll give up hope. Being a hallow shell sounds nicer than having to live with the pain of knowing I can't be with the ones I love..._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Review Replies:  
**Decedi-** I hope that the ending has some kind of positive effect on you. Even if it doesn't 'wow' you, I hope you are still surprised. To be quite honest, I have never read a story with the ending that mine will have. (Okay, I read one, but that was on another site and wasn't done out of consent) Nevertheless, thank you very much for reviewing!  
**RaspberrySorbet-** Heh. I guess I would have to re-read the kidnap chapter to see the heebie-jeebies effect of it. Funny, when I write things, I don't realize the emotion or intensity of it. When I go back and read it (for whatever reasons), I get scared of how I make it sound.  
**Sesshomaru's-Shadow284-** I think that you're better at writing than you give yourself credit for. I believe that I can't write to save my life- even though I have all you wonderful reviewers saying the opposite. Judging by the way you talked in your review... I'd say you have potential; you just need to get an idea that you are truly passionate about to see how great of a writer you can be.  
**Your Gothic Lover-** Ha! That quote is wonderful! Everyone I have read that to has laughed at it! Although, I have to admit, now I'm terrified of being fired.

**Next Chapter:**_ Severing The Ties_  
Reviews Needed:** 160**

**- Lonely Bird**


	10. Severing the Ties

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
September 2nd, 2006  
September 8th, 2006  
September 10th, 2006

**I'm updating the summary in each chapter. I think it's kinda... _off_ compared to what's going on in the story. So, if you liked the old one, it has vanished. -kapoof- Iz gone.**

**I'm taking German, and I'm really excited about it. I know a few phrases so far- and I think I can pronounce them right. Right now, it's morning, so I shall say... Guten Morgen! -squeals-**

**Since school started, I've been able to find my muse to get onto fanfiction twice. Sad, huh? My muse is being buried in homework, and it is taking a while to find her. So, that is my excuse for the horribly long wait. Sorry, guys... BUT, I CAN MAKE IT UP TO YOU! I'm putting a bit about Inuyasha and Kikyou in here...**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Nine: _Severing the Ties_

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

**X x X x X x X x X x X x X**

Rain. It had been going on for five days straight. Five days of water pounding against the Earth- as if it were reprimanding it for something. But it didn't matter what the Earth had done. Perhaps some people cared, but he didn't. There were other things on his mind- work, the Shikon No Tama, and Kagome.

A low growl started deep within his throat as he sat on a park bench in the middle of the pouring rain. Why? He wasn't quite sure. But something about sitting on a wet bench and being in drenched clothes was soothing. Perhaps after having your heart broken, glued together, and then shattered once more altered your idea of comfort.

Sesshoumaru looked up to the sky. He was sad- not that you would ever be able to tell. Raindrops pelted down on his eyes and he reflexively jerked his head back down.

The sound of a car driving up to the deserted intersection drew his attention. No one ever went outside during rain- not even people obsessed with work. And the fact that they were driving was another thing- it was dangerous to drive with so much water on the road and with so much wind to push the car around.

Someone jumped out of the car, rushing towards him at an alarming pace. They were here to talk to _him_ and to tell him something they deemed as important. Fools. Did they not know that there was only one thing that mattered to him? It was his Kagome.

She would always be his, even if she tried to renounce his ownership. He would believe she was his until he died.

- - -

Kagome let another violent cough rack through her entire body. She hurt. Everywhere. She wearily glanced over to Miroku and Andrew. Miroku offered her a hand, which she gratefully took. With someone to aid her poor balance, Kagome began to walk to the kitchen. She was tired, hungry, and she had coughed her throat raw. There was no chance she'd speak.

Andrew watched them, ignoring the feeling of jealously that coursed through him. Kagome was never his. His brain knew that but his heart- which had somehow developed in the past few days -wanted her to be his. _'No. Sesshoumaru has claimed her heart. It would do me harm to try to claim her body.'_ Andrew told himself.

He sat down at the kitchen table, watching Miroku and Kagome meander throughout the kitchen for various things. That's when a thought struck him. Kagome was silent now, just as she had been before. It didn't matter if the reasons were different. But there would still be a way to communicate with her.

"Miroku... Have her sit down and ask her what she wants with sign language. It would help her to rest." Andrew mentally kicked himself for sounding so forceful. It was in his nature to push people around as he pleased. That was a habit he had every intention of breaking.

Miroku glanced at Andrew, the thought process of the suggestion going through his mind. He was still wary of what Andrew might do to Kagome... But it seemed that the idea could do no harm. Miroku gently led Kagome to a chair by the table. Once she sat down, the two began to sign back and forth.

"She wants pancakes." Miroku said. His voice was distant as he bit his lip. How in the world did one make pancakes? He had never attempted to make them from scratch- like Kagome was about to do. Seeing the confusion flicker between his eyes, Andrew spoke up.

"Get the bowl and I'll tell you what to do." He said. Somehow, he had gone from Bad-Ass Rapist to Susie Home-Maker. A smirk lit up his face.

- - -

"Kikyou... What's wrong?" Inuyasha's voice cut through the sounds of Kikyou's heavy breathing. Kikyou shot him a look that challenged him. What she was challenging him to... Well... He wasn't quite sure about that.

"What does it... look like!" Kikyou snapped. Inuyasha looked over her body once more before noticing that the bulge in her stomach had moved down a bit. Naked to the human eye, but noticeable to the demon one.

"I don't see anything." Inuyasha finally admitted.

"I'M GOING INTO LABOR!" Kikyou roared at him. Inuyasha's ears instantly flattened and he jumped up. He picked her up and began to run out the door. Kikyou's wails of pain were starting to irritate him, which made him run to the hospital faster.

The hospital came soon enough, and Inuyasha placed her in the care of a few nurses and a doctor. Inuyasha watched as they placed her on a table and put her legs in stirrups. Just as he was about to turn around to leave, the doctor came in. Inuyasha noticed that he was pulling on sanitary gloves, which made him want to leave that much quicker.

"Ah! Mr. Taisho! Don't you want to see your child be born?" The doctor pushed Inuyasha over to a spot where he could see the place where the child would be coming from. Inuyasha's pace turned pale as he glanced at the door. He didn't want Kikyou to know this... But he wasn't that good at standing gross-looking things.

Inuyasha watched as contraction after contraction came. Then the doctor shouted something like _'Doing well, Kikyou. The head is coming out.'_ Inuyasha looked at her eyes, trying to avoid seeing the head. He was excited about having a child, of course. But he didn't need to see it coming out. That was just...

Pain was showing on Kikyou's face as she tried to push something out of her body once more. When her eyes opened, she instantly looked at Inuyasha. Judging by the look on her face, Inuyasha wasn't sure if he wanted to hear what she had to say.

"You..." She seethed. "You did this to me! Next time you want to get off, then don't do it on me!" Kikyou cut her angry words short as another wail of pain erupted from her body. Moments later, a child had come out of her and was crying. She rested against the pillow, her forehead covered in sweat.

Inuyasha strode over to her, kissing her head gently. Kikyou smiled and he used his thumb to rub her cheek. Even after spending a few hours in childbirth, she still looked amazing.

"Congratulations, Kikyou. You have a baby boy. I'll have a nurse clean him up and I'll prepare the birth certificate. What would you like to name him?" The doctor asked. Inuyasha looked at Kikyou, who was biting her lip.

"We were both so sure that it would be a girl... We don't have any boy names yet..." She whispered to the doctor. Her eyes met Inuyasha's in a silent plea that he would come up with a name. _'It's been a while since she laughed...'_ Inuyasha mused.

"Name him Butch." Inuyasha said triumphantly. Kikyou gasped and began glaring hotly at him. How dare he try to name their baby boy such a name! The doctor, noticing Kikyou's glare, shook his head. He would rather not have to deal with her anger of misnaming their child.

"Okay, not Butch. How's Kenali?" Inuyasha asked. Kikyou thought for a moment, then nodded, a smile on her face. The doctor left to fill out the Birth Certificate while Inuyasha knelt down to kiss Kikyou once more.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Kikyou whispered as tears began to form in her eyes.

"I did." Inuyasha said with a smile. Kikyou raised an arm to hug him in thanks. He had named the child not after himself- like he had mentioned before. But he named him after Kikyou's father. He did that, knowing that Kikyou was very close to her father and missed him since he died.

"You're a puppy born to please..." Kikyou murmured.

"If only you would take back what you said about me never being inside you again, I'd do more..." Inuyasha said. Kikyou looked at him, not sure if she should blush or yell.

"Inuyasha, I just gave birth. Give me some time to recuperate first." Kikyou commanded. Inuyasha began to grin from ear-to-ear and turned to face the nurse who held Kenali.

- - -

Sesshoumaru watched as a figure ran towards him in the pouring rain. As it grew closer, he could tell it was a female. But that was all he could make out through the heavy rain. Soon, he was able to see her face. He felt shock surge through him as she stopped in front of him.

"Sesshoumaru." She greeted with a nod. Sesshoumaru nodded in return. Both kept silent until Sesshoumaru lost his patience. Everyone seemed to be testing his patience recently, and this was just the last of it.

"What do you want?" His voice cut through the sound of the rain fluidly. She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it once more. Was she unsure of how to speak to him? Sesshoumaru watched her struggle to talk as his left eye began to twitch. Did she not realize that he was running low on patience?

"Kagome..." As soon as Sango spoke the word, Sesshoumaru stood up. His sleep-deprived and starved mind snapped out of the haze it had been in. His patience was no longer existent. Sango had come here to speak about Kagome. If Sango had to come to him- she didn't like him, he was sure -then something must be wrong.

Sesshoumaru grasped the sides of Sango's shoulders, shaking her in anxiety. "What's wrong with her? Where is she?" Sesshoumaru asked with a growl. Sango winced as Sesshoumaru accidentally dug his claws into her. As soon as he realized, he pulled his arms back. He was sorry, but he'd tell her once he knew something about Kagome.

"Kagome spent the past few days deactivating traps. They would have killed her and you if you had gotten near the house. Now that they're out of the way... Kagome wants you to come see her. But we have to be quick, or else Naraku will catch on to what we're doing." Sango explained. Sesshoumaru nodded and looked down at his blood-tipped claws.

"I'm sorry about the--"

"Don't worry about it. If I can handle a hormonal Inuyasha, I can handle your claws poking me." Sango waived her hand, as if that was proof that she had dismissed the issue.

- - -

Kagome ate the last piece to her pancakes, a cough following short after she swallowed. Her throat felt raw. It felt like that meat in the grocery store that was raw. What was it called? Ground beef? It didn't matter what it was called. All that mattered was that it hurt.

Kagome lifted up her gaze to see Miroku cleaning the dishes from his own breakfast. If she had a way to get his attention, she would ask him a question. Or... She could attempt to speak, despite the pain that was bound to follow. Slowly, she cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

"When do you think she'll be back?" Kagome asked. Her voice faded in and out, sounding as if she was going to become a mute forever. Miroku looked at Kagome for a while, his mind lost in thought.

"She should be back soon. Sesshoumaru should be with her, too." Miroku replied.

"You think he will? After all I've done to him?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Yeah. I think he will. I think that, even though his eyes hardly reveal anything, the little bit they reveal to others is that he cares for you. I think that if you truly hated him, he would still love you." Miroku said. Kagome smiled and stood up on throbbing legs to give Miroku another dish.

"I think there's something magical about this kitchen." Kagome admitted. Miroku looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You say things that sound so wise. My mom used to say the wisest things when she was cooking, or doing dishes, or putting groceries away." Kagome explained. Slowly, her eyes began to fill with tears. Her mother. Would she be another victim to the curse that the Shikon carried?

"Kagome, go sit down. When Sango and Sesshoumaru come in, I'll point them to you." Miroku said. Kagome nodded and walked over to the living room. Andrew was sitting in the recliner, which gave Kagome the entire couch to herself. She gently let her body relax on it, closing her eyes in half-bliss.

Sesshoumaru nearly threw himself out of the car as they got to Kagome's home. Sango was behind him- somewhere. He got to the door, knocking frantically. The sooner he got to see Kagome, the better. When Miroku opened the door, he felt his heart sink. Why wouldn't Kagome open the door to her own home?

"Kagome... She's in the living room." Miroku explained, as if he heard Sesshoumaru's question. Sesshoumaru stalked to the living room, seeing the back of someone's head in the recliner and Kagome on the couch. He went forward to Kagome, bringing a wet hand up to touch her face.

Kagome's eyes opened at the feel of something touching her. When she saw Sesshoumaru, she felt all the pain in her body vanish. She threw herself into his arms, tears coming down her cheeks. "You came. You came." Was all she could manage to say, and that's what she chanted over and over.

Sesshoumaru held Kagome close to his rain-drenched body. She seemed shocked that he had come. "Of course I came. Did you think I wouldn't?" Sesshoumaru asked curiously. Kagome looked at him and nervously bit her lip.

"I thought... After what I had done... After how much I hurt you, that..." She couldn't finish her sentence due to Sesshoumaru placing his finger over her mouth.

"Shh... I'm here now. And I would like to know what's going on." He said. Kagome nodded and hoisted herself back onto the couch. Sesshoumaru sat beside her, watching as Sango and Miroku came into the room. They sat down on a loveseat while the man in the recliner leisurely turned around to face them.

Sesshoumaru felt his blood boil at the sight of him. What was _he_ doing here? And why was no one doing anything to get him away from Kagome? Sesshoumaru stood up, walking over to Andrew and placing his arm around his neck. He felt his vision gaining a red tint. It was getting more and more thick, making it harder and harder to see.

He knew that Sango and Miroku were screaming at him. He could also hear something coming from the bastard. But what shocked him most were the protests that Kagome was making. As much as he wanted to kill the bastard, it was hard to think of doing so when Kagome wanted him alive.

As his hand dropped and his vision returned, he looked over at Kagome. He would always cater to her desires... Even if it meant going against his instincts, he would do as she wished. He wanted her to be happy, even if happy meant that her rapist stayed alive.

"Sesshoumaru..." Kagome patted the spot next to her. "Sit. I'll explain." Her voice was hoarse, making Sesshoumaru wonder if she had yelled at him that much or if he had just failed to notice it before.

- - -

Inuyasha smiled as Kikyou held their newborn son, Kenali. Kikyou looked up at Inuyasha, her eyes expectant.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Kikyou asked pointedly. Inuyasha blinked once.

"Answer what?" He asked.

"Your cell phone. It's been ringing for a while now." Kikyou watched as he began to fumble with his cell phone in an attempt to answer it before the voicemail picked up. Soon, he got it open with a triumphant smile on his face.

"Hello?" His expression fell as the person on the other end of the line began to speak. Soon, he hung up the phone and looked at Kikyou with a grave expression.

"Let me guess. Naraku wasn't really dead this whole time?" Kikyou asked. Inuyasha whimpered and nodded. Kikyou gently pulled his face to hers, kissing him. "If he's still alive, then go fight him. We'll tell the stories to Kenali." She said with a soft smile. Inuyasha nodded and darted out the door with one thing on his mind.

_It's time to sever all ties that they may have on us._

**O o O o O o O o O oO**

_The dreams I had as a child were simple. I wanted to be a mother. I wanted kids to chide and to protect. I wanted a husband who would love the children as much as he loved me. But, most of all, I wanted the feeling of freedom. The feeling that things would be all right no matter what... But, if it's a dream, then it was merely a fantasy. Dreams are never made to become realities._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

I changed the phrase above. Anyone interested? Does anyone even read that thing now? I doubt people are still reading the notes I put before and after the chapters... -sigh- Good thing this will be over soon.

Review Replies:  
**RaspberrySorbet-** Heh. Well, the next chapter shall be the last one. The ideas that I had to do before the end... Well, that would take much longer than I am willing to put into it. I'm very lazy, ja?  
**Your Gothic Lover-** Heh. Well, you can tell the voices that I don't like them either. I hear that phrase (the one you said) all the time in my school. I've gotten accustomed to answering to them.  
**Decedi-** I will try to make the next chapter extra long. It'll be different than all the others. Kagome will be narrating parts of it…. And, Andrew… Don't worry. There can't be TOO much stuff he can do by the end of the next chapter.  
**Veata-** I have done as you asked. I gave you some Kikyou/Inuyasha. I gave you some fluffmeister. And I will soon have more of the fluffy stuff! (Romantic stuff, not Sesshoumaru stuff) And I'm glad you think it's a drug… Just… Don't overdose…?

**Next Chapter:**_ I wish...  
_Reviews Needed:** 175**

**- Lonely Bird**


	11. I Wish

**Summary:** _Having a blessing means that you will have a curse at another time in life. Protecting the jewel is no different. With the Curse of the Shikon No Tama- something unknown to those who haven't protected it -Kagome is starting to lose hope. If something isn't done soon, she may lose more than that... **Sequel to The Games We Play**_

Rated M. Why? Because the first one was nasty and full of gore. This one is likely to be just as bad, maybe worse… Also because I have a twisted, sadistic mind…

"Talking" (duh)  
'_Thinking_'

Dates Written:  
September 10th, 2006  
September 11th, 2006  
September 13th, 2006  
September 24th, 2006

**My school is killing me with all the homework. Even on weekends, I have so much homework that I can hardly get on (and yet here I am, not studying). So... That's why updates are taking forever. Sorry.**

**In this chapter, I will have a few things that are centered and in italics. Pay attention to these things. Even though they may be confusing (that's how I'm trying to make them, at least), they will (or should) make sense in the end. They're from Kagome's point of view, in case you're curious.**

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**The Hearts We Break  
**Chapter Ten: _I Wish..._

Edited By: **InterwovenEmotions**

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Kagome watched Sesshoumaru's expression as he absorbed in the information. Miroku had called Inuyasha to ask that he come and help them. No doubt, they'd need all the help they could get to make sure that Naraku was taken care of. Sango played her role as mother; bringing everyone something warm to drink.

And now, it all depended on whether or not Sesshoumaru would accept Andrew's help. Kagome wasn't sure if he would, though. After all, he had tried choking Andrew when he saw him. But... If only he could see that Andrew held raw hatred for Naraku. He would know that Andrew wanted to ruin Naraku's chances at getting the jewel.

If only Kagome knew the things that had been on Andrew's mind... Even though he had dedicated himself to making sure that Naraku didn't get what he wanted, there were other things on his mind, like Kagome. After seeing her body writhing beneath him- even though it had been in pain and humiliation -he wanted her more. After hearing her moans of agony and shame, he felt that he should make her moan in pleasure.

_And why is it that I only now realize this?_

And each time she brushed against him, he felt himself starting to miss the flesh-against-flesh with her. He started desiring the feel of being buried deep inside her-of thrusting in and out of her at a pace that suited him. She would be in pain either way, but why bother having to pace himself according to her?

And that was the trail of thought that led him to stand outside her bathroom door, listening to the sound of the water and of her murmuring. She never sang. He noticed. That was something she often did before he attacked her the first time... But that didn't matter. He had to restrain himself while Sesshoumaru was in the same house as he.

- - -

"Kanna... Tell me, do you see anything at the Higurashi residence?" Naraku already knew the answer, but he had to ask. He had to know if there was any chance that the haze had lifted. He had grown irritated at the barrier that had kept his vision and his scouts from entering. No one was able to see the shrine, let alone enter it and get to know the inhabitants.

Kanna's eyes were blank as her mirror began to show an image. Just as always, there was a haze. Just as Naraku was about to turn around and curse in frustration, something caught his eye. The sight of the room becoming closer showed itself in the mirror. The mirror went to each inhabitant, showing what he or she was doing at that very moment.

Sango and Miroku were talking about something- he didn't care what. Kagome was taking a shower. Andrew was listening to her in hopes that he would somehow be able to see her wet figure... And… Naraku growled as he realized who else was in the house. It was Sesshoumaru.

Beyond that, Sesshoumaru had claimed something that Naraku secretly hoped to be his. Even Andrew hoped that this thing would be his. Inuyasha had hoped it before Kikyou had seduced him. And... Now she was off limits.

"Kanna... Go get Kagura and tell her that we all will be leaving soon." Naraku barked. Kagura entered the room, as if she heard the command from where she had been. Frustration was written in her eyes.

"Naraku. It's raining." She told him plainly. Naraku looked outside, as if just seeing the rain for the first time in days. His gaze then returned to Kagura once more.

"Then make sure you dress appropriately... Kanna, wear a raincoat. Kagura..." An evil thought flashed through his mind. "Wear something white. Seems your body may help us win Andrew's favor." Naraku walked out of the door, Kagura glaring after him.

- - -

Kagome let out a weak cough as she rested against Sesshoumaru. _Her _Sesshoumaru. She had been worried that he would not accept her after all she had put him through. But... Now she had no fears. He had just done the one thing that she swore no man would ever do. He had done the one thing that only Andrew had done.

_In that moment, I realized exactly how much I was loved._

And... As much as she was afraid to admit it, it hadn't hurt. It had felt wonderful. It felt like the pleasure from it had awakened every limb in her body. It felt as though she had been asleep all this time and was briefly exposed to the pleasure that turned so many people into whores.

Kagome looked up at the eyes of her mate- her husband in human standards. Sesshoumaru kissed her forehead, easing the uncertainties she was feeling. He seemed to know what was on her mind. Perhaps, if that were true, he would know all about her nightmares she had been having.

While she had been a zombie for the past few days... She still had one thing that tied her to the Earth. Her nightmares. She had them every night- nightmares of her death. It was always different. Sometimes she would die by Naraku's hands, Andrew's hands, and Inuyasha's badly aimed attack... But in each dream, she died.

Sesshoumaru had often had dreams of her and they proved to be right. She knew that she wouldn't be able to avoid death if it was held in her fate. But, nevertheless, she had decided that there was something she wished to do before she died. She wanted to become Sesshoumaru's mate. She wanted to give herself to him.

The fear had been there. The fear that he would leave her after he had his pleasure. The fear that it would hurt and humiliate her the same way that Andrew had done. The fear that she would be unable to please him in return. She _had_ heard of people who could never do anything for their lovers. No matter what they did, their lover was never interested.

And it proved that she wasn't one of them.

"Kagome..." Sesshoumaru growled into the crook of her neck. Just inches away from her right shoulder. It was the spot he had bitten moments before. It was the spot that now had his family seal on it, the spot that would forever tie him to Kagome. And he was glad.

Kagome ran a hand through her wet hair, smirking when she realized that it hadn't had an ounce of soap in it. Somewhere in the tussle, they must have been under the water long enough to help it rinse out their hair. Kagome stepped out, wrapping the towel around herself. When Sesshoumaru stepped out, Kagome extended the towel to him.

As the two of them stood there, sopping wet, they said nothing. Kagome was unsure about what to say after _consenting_ to letting someone touch your body everywhere. Sesshoumaru sensed her insecurities- an ability gained through the mating process -and decided against saying anything.

Silently, the two of them walked into Kagome's old room. Kagome pulled some clothes from her night bag. She began to dress while Sesshoumaru looked for the clothes he had brought with him not long ago. Soon, they found themselves both dressed and lying on Kagome's bed. Kagome's mind had finally eased.

"Why did you suddenly decide that it was time?" Sesshoumaru asked. To his surprise, Kagome didn't tense up at the question. She must have realized that he would ask it. Perhaps that was a reason why she had been so tense then entire time.

_Because I feared my visions of prophecy would be true..._

"I've had dreams of my death. I don't know if it'll happen, but I keep dreaming it. When you dreamt of me, the dreams were often true... So... I got afraid that I would die before I ever had the chance to let you be my husband. I'm afraid that I won't be around long enough for us to be together. I would hate to leave you without being able to... You know..." Kagome trailed off as her face turned red.

Sesshoumaru let one of his rare smiles slip out. He turned to look at Kagome, admiring the way her face was flushed from her embarrassment and from their previous actions. He enjoyed the way her hair was wet and held in a towel-turban. He loved the way that her body felt soft after a shower and how he could sense the love she held for him.

And he knew that Kagome could sense exactly what he was thinking. They were tied to each other now. Perhaps not in a literal sense, but definitely in a mental sense.

"Whatever happens... I'm for you and you alone." Sesshoumaru committed.

"And I'm for you alone." Kagome said with a tired smile. Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome fell into a peaceful sleep at his side. He brushed his hand against the side of her cheek and kissed her eyes. She was his angel. She would be his angel no matter what.

- - -

Kagome awoke to the sound of someone pounding on the door. She shot up, glancing over at Sesshoumaru. Naturally, she would have been very frustrated about having to wake up from sleep, but something was wrong. Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, who got up and opened her bedroom door to look at the front door.

Sango opened the door, growling something about a stupid salesman who just realized it was **raining** outside. When she opened the door, a force blew her back. Standing on the other side of the swinging door was Naraku, Kagura, and Kanna. All were soaked and all were ready for a bath of hot blood. After standing in cold rain, it was hard to think about bathing in anything else.

Miroku mumbled something, which Sesshoumaru and Andrew heard expertly. Fight. This was the real Naraku and he was truly pissed. Sesshoumaru turned to look at Kagome. She had sensed his thoughts and was pulling on a waterproof jacket. She grabbed her weapons that Souta had bought her and dashed out the door.

The fight had started fast. There was no talking before it started- like you see in movies so often. Once everyone was outside, Naraku's right eye twitched and the fight started. It was as simple as that.

Sango threw her boomerang and stuck a hallowed-out stick in her mouth. With a gentle blow, it sent off a short burst of blue light. But only she saw it. Kagura looked at the boomerang sailing towards her and sent it back with a large gust of wind.

_I missed. Perhaps if I had hit her earlier on... Perhaps this could have been avoided._

Kagome notched her arrow, allowing it time to glow with her miko powers. Within an instant, it flew off to Kagura. Kagura merely watched as Kanna stood in front of her, absorbing the arrow in her own mirror. Kagome half expected the arrow to come out and hit someone, but that didn't happen. Kanna just sat there, her mirror holding the picture of the arrow inside. It was just soaring off in space. She had merely transported it elsewhere.

_But those are the "What-If's". I can't go back and change it anymore..._

Inuyasha had appeared, with Kirara, in an instant. Inuyasha gave Sesshoumaru a nod as he tossed him two swords. Sesshoumaru strapped one to his hip, assuring that he would have a means of resurrecting someone if need be. The other sword went to work on attacking one of the three.

Inuyasha aimed the Wind Scar at Naraku, only to find that the hanyou held a barrier over himself. The attack deflected, aiming for Sango. Sango watched in slow motion as Inuyasha's attack came in her direction. Miroku looked at her and tackled her to the side. The mud around them splashed and covered them. Although Sango felt dirty, she was still alive.

She would have to remember to thank him for this later on.

Andrew watched as Kagome launched another arrow at Kagura. That was when he noticed Kagura was soaking. She was wearing _white _and soaking. He couldn't help himself. He looked at Naraku in hope, and Naraku sent him a promising look. Since he had worked for him for several years, he knew exactly what it meant. _'Aid me and I'll give Kagura and Kagome to you.'_

And Andrew took him up on that offer. He slowly walked to where Naraku was standing. He got into a battle position while everyone else stared. Andrew had just switched sides on them? Why? Wasn't he anti-Naraku now? Wasn't he attempting to foil all of Naraku's plans?

Sesshoumaru growled and aimed Tokijin's attack at the bastard who had lied to them. Naraku watched as Andrew created a weak barrier. Not enough to deplete all damage, but enough to make it feel like a mere pinch. Kagome watched this, the anger inside of her boiling to higher levels.

That was the man who had killed Souta. That was the man who had killed Ophielia because she was the witness. That was the man who had absorbed her brother's powers so he could see the glow of the Shikon no Tama. So he could see that the pink jewel hanging around Kagome's neck was something special.

Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru, catching a look of scolding. He wanted her to stay back. He wanted her to wait. He wanted her safe, most of all. Kagome nodded in silent understanding and notched another arrow. She charged most of her miko energies into this one. If it his Andrew, it would rid him of the powers he had stolen.

And the best thing was... The arrow would surpass his barrier.

Kagome let the arrow fly. Time seemed to stand still as Andrew brought up the weak barrier that would negate most of the damage. Andrew's face twisted in shock as the arrow surpassed the barrier and hit his eye, the eye that had been blinded when he absorbed Souta's powers. The arrow vanished as Andrew looked up at Kagome.

_If you look into the eyes of someone who is going to die... If you look very closely, you'll be able to see how it happens..._

The two of them were the only two that were aware of what had just happened. Sango threw her boomerang at Andrew. When it hit him, she and everyone else caught on. Andrew didn't have a barrier anymore. Inuyasha noticed this and looked back at Kagome.

"Kagome! Fire that thing at Naraku! Get rid of his barrier!" Inuyasha yelled. Through the sound of the loud rain, Kagome barely made out his demand. Rather than ask him to repeat it, she did as he said. She pulled back an arrow and shot it at Naraku. She shot it for a spot on his chest. If it hit just right, then it would kill the center of his barriers that lay on his back.

Along with the rest of his power.

Kagura pulled out her fan, thrusting the arrow away. She watched in horror as her own attempt at protecting Naraku backfired. Kanna stared with emotionless eyes as the arrow came towards her. When the arrow collided with Kanna, a bright white light rang through the air. Once the white light had faded, Kanna was gone.

The only proof that she had ever been there was her mirror. There it lay on the ground, cracked and covered in the mud it had fallen into. It looked magical when she held it. Now it appeared as a broken fairy tale of some sorts. Or perhaps a dream that had been shattered by harsh reality. Kagome didn't know which.

Kagome stared at the mirror, oblivious to the world around her. She didn't see Sango throw her boomerang. Nor did she see Kirara go up to attack Andrew. She didn't notice Inuyasha using the wind scar at Kagura. And she certainly didn't see Sesshoumaru's poison whips come out to hit Naraku.

Miroku came, seemingly out of nowhere, and touched Kagome. Like an electric current had touched her, Kagome jumped back to life. She looked at Miroku, her eyes revealing that she wasn't sure of where she was.

"You were dazing out. Can you do that later?" Miroku asked. Kagome nodded and faced the three remaining people. She pulled another arrow back, aiming this one for Naraku once more. Perhaps if everyone else was able to keep Kagura busy, she would be able to take down Naraku's barrier.

Kagome released the arrow, watching it fly as time slowed down. The arrow plunged through the barrier Naraku had created for himself. And by the time Kagura had noticed, Naraku had already lost his ability to make a barrier. He was just as mortal as the next demon.

Sesshoumaru shot a glance to Kagome, giving her a silent thanks for being able to do that. And, with the barrier gone, Sesshoumaru's poison whip came out once more. He used it on one demon alone- Naraku. He wanted Naraku to die so his reincarnation, Kagura, would follow him. Then they just had to take out Andrew and it would all be finished.

Naraku grunted as the first shot of the poison whip hit him. He hadn't excepted anyone to realize that the barrier was down for a bit longer. He jumped out of the whip's range, ignoring the blood that was now escaping from his shoulder. Sesshoumaru had just gotten a lucky shot. There was no way Sesshoumaru was able to actually hit him... Right?

Andrew lurched forward in attempt to protect the two women he would claim as his, Kagura and Kagome. He _would_ have them. He just had to get rid of the only people who would bother to protect them. And, with that in mind, he focused on Sango. She was the weakest of the humans, he had decided.

When he jumped in the air with his deadly claws ready to hit her, he let a feral grin appear across his face. At the last moment, Miroku jumped in front of her. Andrew didn't even have time to react as Miroku held up the staff that had come down from the feudal times. As Andrew's claws came into contact with the staff, a barrier appeared. Andrew grunted as he went hurling backwards, landing in a puddle of mud just beside Kanna's mirror.

Kagome smiled, notching her arrow and aiming for Kagura once more. With Kagura distracted by what was going on, Kagome's arrow hit her hand. Kagura had just enough time to react to give Kagome a look of pure shock. The look was quickly wiped away when her body vanished in a bright burst of light.

_But... In that case... Why didn't anyone see that in mine and tell me?_

Kagome smirked as Naraku became angrier. He rushed forward to her, intent on killing her. Kagome couldn't help it- she flinched. She raised her hands over her head, as if that would prevent her death from happening. Several moments later, she peeked past her hands. Her death hadn't arrived as she had expected.

What she saw was a white cloth-like veil that separated her from Naraku. Naraku tried to kill her or to attack the veil, but all this attacks did nothing. Kagome smirked when she realized that she had made a barrier that saved her life. Without an idea of what she was doing, she closed her eyes.

Another attack from Naraku came, and the barrier absorbed that as well. Then, with a flash of light, the barrier released the power that Naraku's attack had just given it. Naraku could do nothing but watched as the raw power from his own attack came rushing at him. He placed his arms over his chest, in attempt to create a weak barrier that would block some of the damage.

And it had. Except for the surge of pain rushing through his body... He wasn't seriously injured. Even though he caught quite a bit of airtime, he seemed unharmed. Not even he realized what had happened to him.

Sesshoumaru surged forward to attack Naraku. Sesshoumaru didn't even notice that Andrew's body had changed. He hadn't even realized that the force of Naraku's own attack killed the human blood inside of him. If only he had realized that Naraku was now a demon... Perhaps he would have settled for a long-range attack.

Pain surged through Sesshoumaru's body as Naraku got him. He didn't just _get him_; he**_ got him_**. Sesshoumaru could barely even register Kagome's screaming voice or his own brother's cursing. For all the fighting the two brothers had done, Inuyasha still couldn't help but be protective of his older brother.

Sesshoumaru crumpled to the ground in pain and weakness. His life was fading, and he knew that. Why it was fading, he didn't know. Naraku had hit him, but where had he hit him? His entire body was in an equal amount of pain, making it hard to find the source of it. But the feel of a warm liquid surrounding his chest gave him a good idea of what happened.

Sango and Miroku fended off Andrew and Naraku's half-assed, distracted attacks. They couldn't help it. The great dog demon, Sesshoumaru, was starting to die. It was like a car accident on the freeway- you don't want to stop and look... But you have to. And they had to. They had to see the great demon pass to the other side.

While their attacks ceased, Kagome and Miroku rushed over to Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha knelt down, whispering words that only his brother could hear. Words in his demon tongue about why Sesshoumaru shouldn't die. Words about how strong he was and how much he meant to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha was fully aware that, if Sesshoumaru lived, he'd never hear the end of _that_ one.

_I couldn't just watch... I had to do something..._

Kagome pulled the jewel off her neck, holding it in preparation to make a wish. As hot tears began to burn down her cheeks, she closed her eyes. She felt Sesshoumaru's presence fade, telling her that he had begun the passing into the other world.

"I wish..." Kagome began shakily. By the time Naraku and Andrew realized that she was about to use the jewel, it was too late. A barrier had formed around her, which prevented them from slapping the Shikon No Tama from her hands.

"I wish..." Kagome began once more. "I want Sesshoumaru to be alive. I'll die in his place." She said. Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku suddenly forgot about Sesshoumaru and looked up at Kagome. As the jewel began to glow, her tears became more obvious. A single tear dripped onto the small pink marble, causing it to glow brighter.

But Kagome hadn't noticed. Even though the light was growing rather bright, her closed eyes prevented her from seeing anything. As her sobs became more violent, the jewel began to glow more. "Please! Just let me die for Sesshoumaru! I've died before and I can do it again!" Kagome screamed. No one seemed to notice the rain as they watched the tears streak down her face.

The jewel let out a huge burst of light, engulfing every thing in it for mere seconds. When it appeared once more, it looked to be no more than a marble. Sesshoumaru coughed, blood spilling from his mouth. Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku helped him sit up. When he looked around, he was just as lost as everyone else.

Naraku and Kagome had vanished. Andrew stood there before them, the fear of their punishment in his eyes. Within moments, Sesshoumaru was up and holding Andrew in the air by his neck. His body had healed, and now he would prevent Andrew's body from ever doing the same.

"What did you to do Kagome? Where are you hiding Naraku!" Sesshoumaru snapped. When Andrew said something in demon about not knowing, Sesshoumaru broke his neck. When he turned to face the others, his mood deflated. Why weren't the concerned about Kagome and Naraku? Sesshoumaru gave each of them a look, his eyebrow twitching in anger.

"How can you just stand there? Kagome and Naraku are gone!" He hissed. Inuyasha shook his head as Sango approached Sesshoumaru. There were some things that a woman was best at telling a man...

_I'm here, Sesshoumaru... I'm here..._

"Kagome... You died. Naraku hit your heart and you died within moments. Kagome was so upset... She wished for you to be alive again. She wished to die in your place, so you could live again." Sango explained softly. Inuyasha watched as Sesshoumaru's shock flashed through his face. But it was soon lost in the emotionless mask.

"So... Kagome's gone now." Sango concluded. Everyone watched as the indifferent mask of the demon fell harshly. His face became submersed in sadness and grief as he fell to the ground. He began to cry- just as Kagome had when she wished for his life. As he looked at the jewel, it all made sense to him.

_That's it, Sesshoumaru. I'm in here. Fighting just as Midoriko had done..._

Kagome's voice spoke to him. Recalling stories of Kedamono- the demon that helped protect the jewel from selfish beings -Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha.

"Your wife is now in charge of looking after the jewel." Sesshoumaru said, his body shaking with the pain that failed to come out through tears.

"What? Why? Sesshoumaru, it's just a pink marble now." Inuyasha argued. Sesshoumaru snarled, silencing him. For a few moments, no one made a sound. Everyone focused on the pink marble and the sound of the rain. The rain seemed to grow louder just before Sesshoumaru spoke.

"You remember the stories of Midoriko fighting demons in there. Kagome is fighting Naraku and his minions. She held so much raw power- you noticed too, I'm sure. She held the power that Midoriko held. Which is why she became part of the jewel... She's so much like Midoriko...

"Even in the sense of having a powerful demon in love with her. Her life was so hard that she never had time to have a family with this demon, despite the fact that they loved each other very much... Which is why I'm going to protect her." He said.

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"You're going to protect her like Kedamono had done for Midoriko, aren't you?" Sango asked. Sesshoumaru nodded and looked to the ground. Slowly, his body began to dissolve until there was nothing left of it.

"Sesshoumaru, I know you can still hear me. If you do any of the freaky shit that Kedamono did to Kagome... If you do any of that with Kikyou, I'll become a spirit and castrate your spirit." Inuyasha hissed. Sango and Miroku couldn't help but laugh at Inuyasha's pathetic threat. But, sure enough, he picked up the pink jewel.

"If I had known that the mute girl who was always so kind in school. If I had known she had so much power and was going to become part of a legend I never believed... I would have been nicer." He said. While it sounded like he was talking to himself, he wasn't. He was speaking to Kagome.

_I hope all you will understand my decision. I didn't offer myself because I didn't want to deal with life. I didn't offer to die in Sesshoumaru's place because I knew how glorious heaven was. I died for him just so he would be able to live. Just so he would be able to enjoy all those long years that demons are blessed with._

_I had hoped that he and I could start a family together. I had hoped that I could spend evenings curled up on his chest while we watched the rain outside. I had, most of all, hoped that I would have someone to love. Someone who wouldn't leave me, no matter how tainted I had become._

_It's a funny thing, life. We all fight so much to keep it and we all fear its opposite- death. Why? I believe that it is the nature of every human and demon to fear the unknown. It's our instincts. Animals fear the unknown- horses will fear a grocery bag until they are sure it won't hurt them._

_And... That's why death scares us all. Because we know hardly anything about it. We know that everyone who has ever experienced death has never come back. At least, we think we know that. But, if someone died and told you all about this amazing place that came after death... It would alter the fates._

_All those who die and come back are sworn to an oath. I was sworn to one when I met my father before I was supposed to be there. I'm sure Sesshoumaru was sworn to an oath as well. But... That's beside the point._

_People try so hard to defend their life but to ruin another person's life. Why is that? What makes a rapist want to take something that's not his? What causes a murderer to take pleasure in the feel of fresh blood against him? Even though I have lost my human perspective of things and have gained the wisdom of Midoriko... I still don't know._

_But I do wish to find out. In fact, I **know** I'll find out. But it'll be a few thousand years before someone believes in the legends of the jewel once more. It will be a few thousand years before people talk of using my power to help me win or to lose this perpetual battle against Naraku and those who followed him with their entire heart._

_I'll have Sesshoumaru to protect me, though. I will have to trust Sesshoumaru to keep the selfish ones away while bringing the selfless ones to me. Even though we can't talk... I know that he is out there, just on the outside of the jewel. He's the layer on the outside of something hollow._

_He protects the contents, while still being able to have indirect conversations with it. And... For that... I will always love him. Even though the pain and exhaustion of this battle I fight, I will use his love to spur me on. Because... One day... We can go to the afterlife together or we can be reborn and meet each other once more._

_Until then, I tell all you humans and demons to enjoy life. I tell you that the hearts we break are fragile. Breaking a heart is the same as breaking the chain of life... And, if you find yourself stuck in-between of life and death- of happiness and misery -Then perhaps I will see you soon._

_- Kagome Taisho -_

**O o O o O o O o O oO**

_The dreams I had as a child were simple. I wanted to be a mother. I wanted kids to chide and to protect. I wanted a husband who would love the children as much as he loved me. But, most of all, I wanted the feeling of freedom. The feeling that things would be alright no matter what... But, if it's a dream, then it was merely a fantasy. Dreams are never made to become realities._

**O o O o O o O o O o O**

Duuude! There's nothing that says "next chapter" now! It scares me! It's not there! -sobs for no reason-

To all you who keep telling me to make longer chapters… HOW'S THIS FOR A LONGER CHAPTER! This took me forever to do (I blame school), and I am hoping it's a good ending. (Personally, I think it's like the grand finale of a really good T.V show- like House.) So… Let me know what you think.

If you're curious what I'll be writing next, look on my profile. (Sad thing is, I don't know what's on my profile anymore). I've got the idea for a one shot in mind that I've been trying to write since… about two years ago. P

Review Replies:  
**Veata-** German is descriptive with the language? That's something I didn't know. Of course, I just started taking it... But I love German so much so far. I'm learning it easily, too. I can study 20 words in one day and remember them (perhaps not perfectly, but still remember them nonetheless!) And the labor thing... I have no idea where I got the idea for it. I don't know anyone who's popped out a kid.  
**Kagome.is.better- **I'm glad that you like the story! It pleases me to know that people like it; that's why I ask people to review, so I can know if they like it or not.  
**Black Juju-** Yeah. His sudden change of heart wasn't what it was cracked up to be, huh? I'm glad that some people like you were still suspicious of him. Even **_I_** was suspicious- and I'm controlling him!  
**kira-Jayde- **I'm sorry that my chapters are so short! I'll work on making them longer for the next story I have on my list (and have you SEEN the list on my profile! Geez! My muse never sleeps!) But I'm glad that you love the chapters, even if they are short.  
**Your Gothic Lover-** In response to your quote; So **_that's_** why I keep getting stupid answers for questions! And here I thought that I was just surrounded by idiots!  
**AnimeFanime18**- Aww. Now I feel bad for ending the story and ending all your access to the phrases. But thank you for what you said about them being inspirational! That makes me so happy!  
**TurtleHugs**- Why weren't you supposed to be on? Grounded? And thank you very much. I am glad that you think they're clever (I have to admit I got the ideas for some of them from other books.)

**- Lonely Bird**


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